Warring Emotions
by Henka
Summary: Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war love is a growing up. Brucas, Naley, & Jeyton. The sequel to This Time Around.
1. Weird World

**Warring Emotions**

**By: **Sari

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill is not mine. If I had enough money I'd probably buy it just so I could get rid of half the characters on the show.

**Summary: **"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin. The sequel to _This Time Around._

**1: Weird World**

_Hey, hey, hey-- the sun is over the city, but it's an orange day_

_There is reason for looking up, but I'm feeling down_

_You see I've got to catch a plane, won't buy a ticket_

_Cause it's hard to just stop, when you're spinning around_

"Come on Lucas we have to go!" Brooke insisted trying to rush him out of the gift shop. "I swear you're like a kid in a candy store, it's an airport gift shop for Christ sake, and there is nothing in here to see. Now come on before we miss this airplane!"

"I'm coming; we're not going to miss the plane Brooke." Lucas placated.

Brooke glared at him and rushed to the ticket counter to show the air stewardess their tickets to New York. "We haven't seen the rest of the gang in such a long time. I'm just excited…!"

He snorted. "It's not like we all left each other on the best of terms."

"Our group of friends never had it easy." Brooke said shrugging. "Besides, it must not have been that big of a fight if all of us agreed on this reunion."

"B, it's been almost a year and a half. I'm sure everyone is just curious about how bad we screwed up since we've left high school."

"Glad to report nothing major has happened to us right?" Brooke said grinning.

"Well we didn't have distance separating us like Kali and Jake, vindictive ex-best friends like Peyton around, or a marriage hanging over our heads like Nathan and Haley. I can pretty much see why we made it." Lucas responded sarcastically.

She punched him on the arm as they made their way to their seats. They were on a plane to New York from Boston after receiving a plane ticket in the mail from Kali Morris, one of their friends from high school. She had left Tree Hill High the summer before senior year and although she and Lucas kept in contact occasionally it wasn't nearly enough to know what was going on in her life.

As for the rest of the gang, senior year's pressures had wrecked havoc on their relationships. Peyton's malicious streak reared its ugly head effectively destroying Kali and Jake's relationship, Nathan and Haley went through fight after fight, and Brooke and Lucas had to battle to keep their relationship alive in the midst of their friends' anger. It got so bad that Lucas had enough of living his life around his friends and cut them off—it wasn't long until Brooke followed.

Ironically, they had to lose their friends to keep their relationship and to both of them it had been more than worth it.

"This is just going to be crazy you know?" Brooke said, for the first time a tremor of apprehension in her voice. "It's been a year and half, they must have changed a lot in that time."

Lucas shrugged. "I'm not worried about it and neither should you. We've changed as well."

They had changed, for the better Brooke decided. Lucas had always been serious, the product of a broken home he _had _to be but now he was even more focused on his future and what he wanted to do with his life. His father's death had been a wake up call he had explained to her one day. It wasn't something clichéd like "never take anything in life for granted," but it was just as deep. Dan's death had made him realize that he needed to get his life in order so he never made the mistake of regretting what took place. That's why he dropped basketball and took up his real passion—writing.

Brooke admired that, Lucas's strength. If it had been her, with all of his talent, she would have taken the easy way out. Playing basketball equaled automatic fame and fortune something that Brooke craved but not for Lucas, he was studying to become an English professor and she was proud of him.

And for herself? She was doing what she did best: show business. She was majoring in acting with the hopes that she would be the next Gwyneth Paltrow or Cameron Diaz. She had never really thought about her future before but now she wanted to be somebody, not just a rich girl playing the role of socialite.

"Earth to Brooke?" Lucas said snapping his fingers in front of her face. "You were spacing out again."

"Was I? I'm sorry." Brooke said sheepishly. "I was thinking."

"About?"

"How everything has turned out so far." She locked her hands in his. "I'm really happy right now; I just hope this trip doesn't change anything."

"I doubt it." Lucas said. "You were strong-willed before but now you're like a damn bull. You're stubborn and I bet you're not going to let anything they say change how your life is going B." He said confidently.

She gave him a wry grin. "I'm glad you have so much faith in me."

"I'm the boyfriend, I'm supposed to." He joked. "But seriously B, stop stressing we'll be fine. And if we're not we'll leave. Our life doesn't revolve around their happiness anymore."

"Thank god." She muttered. "The way we were going before I thought we'd never get out of the Tree Hill bubble."

He squeezed her hand and closed his eyes. "Get some sleep B; we're going to need it."

_I'm closing my eyes, but I'm starting to see_

_While he's looking at you, she's looking at me_

_The only thing it does is just keep me away from you_

Kali opened the door to her mother's penthouse and the bright smile she had on her face immediately froze. When she had invited all of her old friends to New York for a little reunion she didn't really think about what had gone down in Tree Hill after her departure. She had kept in touch with Lucas and Jake throughout the year but slowly their correspondence had begun to die out and she had let it go as something that just happened.

But seeing Jake and Peyton in front of her door playing the part of the happy couple was making her physically sick to her stomach. It was taking everything in her to not throw up on Peyton's way too perky face. But living in New York under her mother's tutelage had groomed Kali into a more refined woman, and she'd be damned if some Tree Hill gutter slut was going to shake that image.

"Peyton! Jake! It's been a long time." She said smiling. "Come in, how are both of you doing?"

"Good!" Peyton said just as happily. "You look like you're doing well also Kali. Is this your mother's apartment?"

Kali nodded taking them on a tour of the two story, five bedroom penthouse. "My mom's business flourished after she divorced my father."

"Is she around?" Jake asked.

"She's out on business for the week." Kali said. "With all the outsourcing going on in America right now she has to make sure the employees are performing up to par."

Jake nodded in understanding. "So when is everyone else going to be here?"

"Well I talked to Brooke and Lucas a couple of hours ago so they should be coming any minute now, they're catching a cab and Nathan is driving up so he'll be a little later."

"What about Haley?" Peyton asked.

"Haley will be here after work." Kali said going into the kitchen. "She lives in New York now you know."

"We haven't really kept in touch with anyone." Peyton said slightly uncomfortable. "Did Lucas tell you anything about the second half of senior year?"

Kali shook her head confused. "Not really, I mean that was after Jake and I stopped…" Kali paused. "Stopped…going out I guess and it wasn't really the same between us. Lucas and I haven't really talked since then."

Kali watched Jake closely noting the way he looked confused with the classification of their relationship but decided to drop it. It wasn't the time to rehash what exactly happened to them. "So how is Jenny?" Kali asked changing the subject.

Peyton smiled and Jake tightened his grip around her waist. "She's doing great. She's almost four now." He said grinning. "She's giving my parents hell."

"You don't take care of her anymore?" Kali asked confused.

"We do, but since Peyton and I decided to stay so close to home my parents keep her a lot if we're busy."

"You both go to Duke right?"

Peyton nodded. "Jake's majoring in Law while I'm doing Art History."

Kali raised an eyebrow. "Law?"

He blushed. "I got interested in it when I had to go through all the legal stuff with Nikki and Jenny." He explained.

"Are you still playing basketball?" She asked.

"Are you?"

She grinned. "I'm always up for a game."

"We'll have to start one when Luke and Nate get here."

Peyton looked left out and made everyone aware of it when she abruptly changed the subject. "So Kali, what are you doing these days? Not just playing the rich girl I hope."

Kali's eyes narrowed but she let it go, she _wasn't _in high school anymore. "I go to Columbia and I'm majoring in Psychology."

"I could see you as a psychologist." Jake said softly. "You always had a knack for seeing straight through people."

"It was a pity I couldn't see through you." She said her statement heavy with innuendo. "I guess sometimes the people we thought we knew turn out to be somebody completely different."

Jake had the good grace to look slightly guilty but he didn't look away from her. "I guess so."

There was a knock on the door jarring Jake and Kali out of there staring match. Kali cleared her throat uncomfortable and made her way to the door. "That's probably Lucas and Brooke now."

Kali opened the door, and smiled when she saw who was behind it. "Well, well, well…" She said. "If it isn't Broody and Cheery."

"Nice to see you to K." Brooke said stepping inside. She raised her eye at the lavish penthouse. "Someone's living it large."

Kali managed to grin. "I'm a rich girl a heart."

Lucas cleared his throat and smiled at the girl he still considered to be one of his best friends. "Kali Morris, look at you."

Her smile widened. "Lucas Scott, still as handsome as ever." She hugged him tightly, a few tears escaping. "I'm so glad to see you."

_It's a weird world, don't you know it?_

_It's a weird world and it won't slow down_

_It's a weird world, no matter how you want it_

Haley James-Scott hurried to finish her shift up. It wasn't easy being a college student when you weren't rich. Sure she had more scholarships than the average student but extra money was hard to come by and a necessity. Working as a nursing assistant wasn't the most desirable of jobs, especially not in one of New York's worst hospitals, but it paid the rent for her modest apartment.

Glancing at her clock she cursed loudly. Kali hadn't given her a specific time to be there—some time between 5 and 7 was as specific as she'd get—but Haley wanted to see her friends who she really did miss. Yeah, things had become crappy between them senior year but they had history that you couldn't just throw away. No matter how hard you tried, and Haley had tried her hardest.

She even went as far as filing for a divorce from Nathan Scott, the man she thought had been the love of her life. Now, she looked back on it as a stupid, foolish mistake she had made while thinking she was in love.

She stopped her frantic attempt at getting a taxi to amend that line of thinking, she had loved Nathan no matter how hard she tried to deny it the past couple of months. He had been her first love, and up to now her only love even if at the present time she was trying out a relationship with the other man that had facilitated in the breaking up of her marriage—Chris Keller.

Her cell phone rang, cutting off the train of thought before it could get to her exact reasoning of being with such a bastard. "Hello?" She said finally sinking into the seat of a taxi.

"Hey, it's Chris." Haley cringed managing to suppress her aggravated groan.

"What's up?" She said.

"Are you still going to this reunion thing Kali's putting on?" He asked. "I thought we could go out to dinner with a couple of record execs I met today."

She rolled her eyes. "No thank you, I'd rather go see my friends."

"Hales, this could be the chance of a lifetime!" He protested.

"It's always the chance of a lifetime until they figure out how much of a chance it is to take one two untrained singers." Haley scoffed. "Chris, go get a real job and stop chasing after a dream that isn't going to happen."

"You see, these friends of yours haven't even touched down in New York and they're already starting to sap the hope out of you."

Haley laughed harshly. "Are you kidding me Chris? If I had listened to them in the first place I wouldn't have had to risk not graduating high school. Listening to you and your half-assed promises almost got me being one of the people I hated the most."

"Hales stop being so dramatic. I tried to help you! It's not my fault you were to focused on your ex-husbands feelings to get that recording deal. And look where you are now? Still divorced."

"Go to hell Chris." Haley growled.

"It's the truth Haley."

"Kiss my ass Chris." Haley hissed. "You're just pissed off because without me, there _is _no Chris Keller. No companies want you without me and if I don't deliver you don't' get to live you little dream. Well start job hunting Chris, I'm done with music and with you."

"You're bluffing, just like you always do." He said cockily.

"I want your shit out of my apartment." Haley coolly replied. "By the time I get home or you'll see if I'm bluffing or not."

She disconnected the call and sucked in a calming breath. Now if she had only done that a year and half sooner.

"Oh well" She muttered watching the city lights. "Better late than never."

_Hey, hey, hey- sweet baby- there's no way to stand up and fight it_

_Hey, hey, hey, never give up and don't let it wear out your love_

**TBC**

_**Music Credits: Backstreet Boys – Weird World**_

**A/N: **Finally right? For the fans of This Time Around, Warring Emotions is the much anticipated sequel. Everyone's different now, so let's see how this story plays out hmm? Review please.


	2. I Still

**Warring Emotions**

**By: **Sari

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill is not mine. If I had enough money I'd probably buy it just so I could get rid of half the characters on the show.

**Summary: **"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin. The sequel to _This Time Around._

**2: I Still…**

_Who are you now?_

_Are you still the same or did you change somehow_

_What do you do?_

_At this very moment when I think of you_

"Jeez, you're looking great Kali." Lucas said appreciatively. And she was, Kali was still the tall, platinum blonde that he had known in high school but she had a sort of refined grace to her. Maybe it was her black Armani business suit, or the careful composure he could see she was trying to maintain but it was glaring apparent that Kali Morris had grown up.

"Watch it Luke, your girlfriend is five feet away from you." Brooke joked. "I know we just got here but I'm not afraid to pull some hair."

Kali giggled and turned from Lucas to embrace Brooke. "It is so good to see you guys again." Kali said. "How is everything?"

"Boston is awesome." Lucas said. "Brooke and I are still going strong and school is a breeze."

Brooke nodded. "Life is about as perfect as it can be."

Lucas walked over to Jake clapping him on the back. "Jake long time no see." Turning to Peyton he gave her a small smile. "Peyton."

"Lucas." She said just as coldly.

Brooke squealed seeing her blonde best friend. "Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer is that you?"

Peyton squealed louder if it was even possible and Lucas struggled to keep himself from rolling his eyes as the two girls ran and embraced each other. He noticed a sharp jab in his side and looked at Kali who was motioning towards the kitchen.

He followed her in there and sighed in relief that he didn't have to act as if he gave a damn about Peyton around Kali. "I was trying to hold my lunch around her." He said dryly.

"Peyton?" Kali correctly guessed. "I kind of figured. You did look a tad bit green."

"A tad?" Lucas said chuckling. "It's amazing that Peyton's presence still has that effect on me."

Kali shrugged. "She's with Jake now."

"And?" Lucas prodded.

She sighed. "And it kind of hurts, but on the other hand I kind of expected it."

"What's stronger?"

"The expectation of course, because come on Luke, I was never a stupid person. But…I loved him and the killer was I never knew why we grew apart. One day we were fine and we were waiting for college and the next it was nothing, zip, nada. It's like he erased me from his life."

A soft smile made its way to his face and Kali looked puzzled. "What?"

"This." He said. "It's good talking to you like this again."

She nodded. "No one gets me as much as you do." She admitted. "I don't mind keeping it that way."

He reached over and squeezed her hand as Brooke walked into the kitchen. "Haley's here."

Lucas's eyes lit up in the way that only a childhood friend could elicit and he grinned widely, rushing out into the living room he gave Haley a hug tight enough to squeeze the air out of her.

Haley giggled. "Lucas let me go!"

"I haven't seen you for more than a year I'm allowed to hug you as long as I want!" He protested childishly.

Kali cleared her throat. "Okay guys, we're waiting for one more person and then we can eat."

"Where _is_ my brother?" Lucas asked letting go of Haley.

Everyone heard the knock on the door and Kali went to answer it. "Here he is, Mr. Big shot predicted first draft pick for the Miami Heat."

Nathan blushed. "You follow college basketball?"

"Look who you're talking to." Lucas said laughing. "It's me and Kali, probably the biggest basketball fans ever. Congratulations bro'."

"Wow, it's great to see everyone."

"Aww…it's nice to see you too." Kali said. "Anyway come in."

"Dinner time you guys, I got Chinese take out in the kitchen, grab a carton so we can get started catching up."

_And when I'm looking back_

_How we were young and stupid_

_Do you remember now?_

_Baby_

Settling on the couch with her carton of Chinese, Haley couldn't keep her eyes off of Nathan. The Florida sun had agreed with him because now he had a bronze tan and his brown hair had blonde highlights, obviously made by the sun. In a few words, she can sum up his new look as very hot.

"So, what's everyone been up to? Take turns now." Kali ordered. "And let's see…Lucas and Brooke, you two start."

Haley pulled her legs underneath her and surveyed her best friend. She had known him so long, and the last year and half and been the longest time she went without speaking to him. Looking at him now he looked so happy. She had doubted Brooke when they had first started dating each other but now they both had a happy glow surrounding them and Haley knew that they were obviously meant to be.

"Ah…nothing really to say." Brooke said. "Everybody knows that Luke and I both decided to go to the same college which is Boston University. I'm majoring in acting and Lucas is doing English. We have a small apartment off campus that my parents gave us as a graduation gift and I work as an intern at a talent agency while Luke works as a middle school gym teacher."

"Gym teacher?" Haley asked incredulously. "That's a big leap from basketball, and majoring in English?"

"Basketball isn't my thing anymore." Luke said nonchalantly. "It's a hobby and I like to do it but I would never make a career out of it. Too much traveling, too much media, and too much invasions of privacy. I couldn't do it."

"The coaches still want you at UM though." Nathan put in. "If you ever decided to change your mind. They watched you in high school."

Lucas shook his head. "That's okay, you and Jake can be the basketball players in this group."

"So Jake and Peyton, what's been going on?" Luke said directing his question to the couple sitting near Haley.

"I'm majoring in law at Duke University and Peyton is doing art. We both live in the dorm though, and while we're in school my parents keep Jenny."

"You're still playing basketball right?" Kali asked.

"I'm on Duke's team." Jake said modestly. "But I'm with Luke, I'm probably not going to turn it into a career."

"Wow." Brooke said impressed. "Jake a big bad lawyer, I can totally see you on Court TV."

Jake laughed. "I wouldn't go that far either."

"So Peyton, art…I can't say I'm surprised." Brooke said giving her a friendly smile.

Peyton shrugged modestly. "I work a little on Duke's newspaper but my major is really Art history. I think I might want to be an art teacher."

"Hales?" Jakes asked. "Your turn."

Haley smiled. "Well…after high school I tried the music scene for a while. You guys know about all of that."

Yeah, they did Haley mused to herself. Everyone here had warned her that Chris was no good and it wasn't worth throwing away her education for. Pity she didn't listen.

"Anything come of it?" Lucas asked gently.

"Not really, after we toured with the Wreckers it was great for awhile. We had record execs knocking at our door all the time but when they found out that Chris and I were untrained singers they didn't want to take the risk. I wizened up after that, enrolled myself into NYU. I'm majoring in pre-med." She gestured to her current outfit. "I'm a nursing assistant right now."

Haley didn't look at Nathan the whole time she was talking but she could feel his eyes on her. "Nathan, you're up next." She said lightly.

"I'm going to UM, majoring in business, but I'm hoping that I can play basketball professionally." Nathan said simply. "Kali?"

"I'm at Columbia University studying psychology. I want to be a therapist." Kali informed everyone. "Alright, so relationships? Who's in one, who's not?" Kali said eagerly, not wanting a lapse in the conversation to creep up on them.

"Brooke and I are together still." Lucas offered.

"Jake and I are going strong, it's been a year and half now." Peyton said proudly.

Kali's eyes widened and Haley could see the calculations going on in her head. "I'm single." Haley said watching Kali who looked like she was going to attack Peyton at any time.

"I have a girlfriend back in Miami." Nathan said softly.

Haley drew her eyes away from Kali to stare in shock at Nathan. "How long have you two been going out?"

"A couple of months." Nathan said easily.

"Oh." Haley looked down in her lap.

"How about we continue this tomorrow?" Kali suggested. "You guys are all probably tired."

"You didn't answer the question" Jake reminded her.

"I'm single." Kali said tense.

_Though everything's been said and done_

_I still feel you like I'm right beside you_

_There's still no perfect you_

"I feel like an idiot." Kali told Haley once everyone had left leaving Haley and Kali by themselves. "What the hell was I thinking? Was I really that damn naïve in high school?" She asked Haley.

Haley shook her head. "You were miles away Kali, how were you supposed to know."

"Why didn't you or Lucas tell me?" Kali said. "Why did you let me believe that it just 'naturally happened?' It didn't naturally happen that bitch stole him from me."

Kali laughed. "Jeez, I knew Peyton was desperate but damn she pounces on him the second I leave Tree Hill? And he falls for it? God I feel like an asshole."

Her laughter quickly faded into tears and Haley rushed to hug her. "You still have feelings for him?" She asked.

"Yeah." She hiccupped. "I'm an idiot. A complete and total idiot. Why can't I hate him?"

Haley shrugged. "The same reason why I can't hate Nathan. You love him."

"Finally admitting it now?" Kali said raising her head from Haley's shoulder. "Never thought I'd see the day."

"I broke up with Chris today."

"Again?" Kali scoffed. "How long is that going to last."

"For good this time." Haley insisted. "I'm an idiot to keep listening to his false promises."

"So you need a place to stay then?" She guessed.

Haley shook her head. "I kicked him out."

"Well, holy shit." Kali said surprised. "You really are serious this time."

"What's the point in dragging on a relationship when I know how much I'm in love with Nathan?" Haley asked. "Maybe knowing he's with a girl now will speed up the process of getting over him."

"Hopefully." Kali said. "The only thing knowing Jake is with a girl is doing for me is making me angry."

"You have a right to be." Haley assured her. "And I'm sorry about keeping it from you, but Luke and I didn't think that you should know. We were pissed off at Jake enough."

"Is that why you guys stopped talking to him?" Kali asked.

"On Luke's part yeah. He was furious that Jake was cheating on you and that he didn't have the balls to dump you."

"What about you?"

"I was so desperate to keep my friends during the whole Chris debacle I was glad Jake and Peyton even spoke to me. Even if I knew that it was because Lucas and Brooke had abandoned them I needed someone to talk to."

"God I feel so out of it." Kali said laughing. "It's like life sped up as soon as I stepped on that airplane. Luke hinted that everyone was pissed off at each other but he never told me why."

Haley nodded a faraway look in her eyes. "It was little things that caused it, and then all of them piled up and turned into a huge issue."

"The domino effect?"

"Sort of…it started with Jake acting like a dick towards you, and then it was the problems with Chris and me, Peyton's drug problem…"

"Peyton's DRUG problem?" Kali asked incredulously. "Damn I knew the ho was stupid but this is going a little bit too far."

"I never told you about that?"

"Uh…no! I would have remembered something hilarious like that."

"Peyton and Karen opened up this teen club called Tric during senior year and it was a huge success later on, but when it first started Peyton got into the wrong crowd looking for music to be played at the club and started trying coke. She got addicted to it, and around that time Jake was so busy trying to get full custody of Jenny so he wasn't there to watch out for her so no one never really found out until she overdosed and ended up in the hospital."

"Peyton, always playing the victim." Kali said shaking her head. "I guess she had to have a near death experience to keep Jake's attention."

"Kali!" Haley admonished.

She shrugged, "it's the truth."

Kali heard the knock on the door and groaned. "I hope nobody left anything here."

She jogged to the door, Haley right after her and opened it. "What'd you leave?" She asked bluntly. She was not in the right frame of mind to talk to him.

"Nothing, I want to talk to you." Jake requested.

Kali laughed harshly. "Are you joking? What happened to talking to me a year ago?"

"That's what I want to…"

"Save it." Kali said cutting him off. "Go out to eat with Peyton, New York is beautiful at night."

"Kali if you would just give me a chance…"

"Does Peyton know you're here?" She asked coldly.

Jake sighed rubbing his temples. "I'm guessing that's a no." Kali said smugly.

Haley cleared her throat. "Kali I'm going to head home."

Kali barely nodded at her as she made her leave instead focusing her angry glare on Jake. "Could you back up so I can slam the door in your face?" Kali asked acidly. "I don't have time to play games with you."

Jake seemed resolved now, he pushed his way past Kali pulling her into the room and shutting the door. "No." He said firmly. "We're going to talk. Right now."

_Wish I could fight it_

_Just not tonight_

**TBC**

_**Music Credits: Backstreet Boys – I Still…**_


	3. Just Want You to Know

**Warring Emotions**

**By: **Sari

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill is not mine. If I had enough money I'd probably buy it just so I could get rid of half the characters on the show.

**Summary: **"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin. The sequel to _This Time Around._

**3: Just Want You to Know**

_Looking at your picture from when we first met_

_You gave me a smile that I could never forget_

_And nothing I could do could protect me from you that night_

_Wrapped around your finger_

_Always in my mind_

_The days they went cause we stayed up all night_

_Yeah, you and I were everything, everything to me_

Nathan sighed checking into the hotel that Kali had referred him to. He didn't think it would be this hard. When he and Haley had divorced they had both agreed it was for the best. She couldn't handle his jealousy over Chris, and he couldn't handle always coming second in her life. They had both agreed.

But seeing her again looking beautiful, healthy, and…just so _Haley_ had thrown him off his game. She always had something about her that made her shine and made her so unique that no one could ever touch her. Especially not Madison, his current girlfriend.

He groaned, _Madison Lee_, the girl that had befriended Nathan the first day he was in Miami and had made it her mission to get him over Haley. Of course it hadn't worked, but he had begun to hide it for her sake. She worked too hard for him to still act like the lovesick kid he knew he still was. Madison was beautiful and smart. She was Chinese American and proud of it. She shined in her own way.

_But she wasn't Haley. _

Haley who had believed in him in high school, looking past the façade he had created to appease his father. Haley, who had understood that he wasn't a bad guy even when he went out of his way to destroy his brother's life. Haley, who stuck by him when things got rough and didn't blame him every time he screwed up.

He shook his head and let himself into his room. What had he done as soon as Haley started to pursue her dream? He acted like a spoilt child afraid of everything she did. No matter that Haley had never given him a reason to doubt her before he couldn't see past Chris.

The Chris that connected with Haley in every way, so much that he couldn't even realize why Haley was still with him. He lashed out at Chris and Haley's relationship because Chris made him doubt himself. _That was why their relationship had crumbled. _

He pulled out his cell phone and tried to forget Haley's smiling face. "Hey Madison, its Nathan. I know you're probably at work right now but I wanted to tell you that I got into New York okay. I'm at the hotel right now, just got back from Kali's place. It was fun, tense, but fun anyway. Really strange seeing everyone again, my own brother looks like a completely different person. I can't wait for you to get up here, call me with your flight plans." He ended the call and flopped back on his bed.

_But Madison was still no Haley._

_I just want you to know that I've been fighting to let you go_

_Some days I'll make it through, and then there's nights that never end_

_I wish that I could believe that there's a day you'll come back to me_

_But still I have to say I would do it all again, just want you to know_

"Let me go." Kali said icily.

"Promise me that you're going to listen to me." Jake said still holding her arm in a vice-like grip.

"Get out of my house before I call security up here."

He pushed her on to the living room couch and walked over to the phone where he pulled the line out of the wall. "Kali, you're going to talk to me." He said stubbornly. "I'm not leaving until we clear the air between us."

"Why can't you just leave it alone?" She yelled. "Obviously you didn't a give a damn about me because you cheated on me with Peyton and didn't have the fucking balls to break off our relationship."

"I didn't mean for that to happen." He said lamely.

"And that just makes it all better." She hissed.

"You have a right to be angry…" Jake started. "But just hear me out and then I'll leave."

"You have five minutes." Kali said.

He sighed in relief. "Thank you."

He sat across from her and took a deep breath. "When you left for New York I was devastated but hopeful." He began. "I was so in love with you that I figured that everything would be alright because love always makes a way. It had to because I needed to be with you. But then…life happened. School, Jenny, and my parents on my ass about college it got hard."

"We never said it'd be easy." Kali said petulantly.

"We didn't." He agreed. "But I didn't realize it'd be that hard."

"So where does Peyton come into this?" She spat hatefully.

"Give me my five minutes." He whispered.

"I'm sorry."

"Things started to get strained between us the middle of senior year, and it was fitting because at that time everything in Tree Hill started to spiral out of control. Nikki had come back into town and was demanding custody of Jenny, Peyton was doing drugs, Nathan and Haley were fighting, and it was just too much."

"God, Kali, if I could go back and handle it better I would but I can't." He said sadly. "I loved you, I still love you but what we had was a victim of circumstance. It just wasn't the right time."

Kali's impassive mask hadn't even cracked. "You never told me about Nikki trying to get custody of Jenny." She accused. "And you never told me about Peyton's drug problem."

"There was no use in tell you…you couldn't do anything." He mumbled.

"I couldn't do anything?" She shouted. "I LOVED YOU. Shouldn't that have been enough?"

Kali burst into tears. "You weren't the only one in this relationship Jake, you just don't decide what happens and when it should happen."

"I know and I'm sorry…"

She furiously wiped away her tears. "Your five minutes are up."

"Kali…!"

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?" She cried. "We can't go back, we established that! You have a girlfriend, I have my own life. What did you expect from this conversation? Did you want me to jump in the sack with you? IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN."

"I don't…" Jake replied helplessly. "I don't know Kali."

"Then come back when you do." She said simply. "But you need to leave."

"Kali I…" He stopped and then crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. "I still love you."

She shuddered leaning into the kiss she knew was coming and when it came she wasn't disappointed. She broke it shaking her head. "I love you too." She said, tears slipping down her red cheeks. "But I'm not the 'other woman.'"

He gazed at her, eyes filled with love and decisiveness. "No." He murmured. "You're the only woman."

_All the doors are closing_

_I'm trying to move my head_

_And deep inside I wish it was me instead_

_My dreams are empty from the day_

_The day you slipped away_

Peyton was screaming inside. That was obvious enough. After that stupid reunion party that she didn't even want to go to Jake had dropped her off at the hotel with promises that he would return.

"That was a load of shit." She said angrily to herself. She had lost him the minute he had stepped into Kali's penthouse. Peyton wasn't fooling herself, she knew from high school that Jake would never love her like he loved Kali. What Kali and Jake had was what Brooke and Lucas had and what Nathan and Haley would have if they would just try again. It was true love.

And all Peyton wanted was a love like that. She knew that she wouldn't have it with Jake but she had hoped with the distance that he'd forget about Kali, that he'd leave the past in the past and move on with her because Jake did love her, not like he loved Kali, but he still loved her. He must right? He had helped her through the drugs…

The drugs, probably the stupidest decision of her life. Isn't it some type of statistic? 1 in 5 teenagers use drugs or have tried them at lease once in their life. She didn't know what had gotten into her when she decided to overdose on cocaine. The helplessness of her life, her mother being dead, her father never being home, or school. But it had happened and Jake had been there everyday at the hospital supporting her when everyone else had abandoned her and told her she was just being weak.

Maybe she had manipulated him into going out with her, Jake had always had a white knight complex, but she didn't manipulate him into staying with her. That was the only way she could console herself. She wasn't a bad person, she was a person of opportunity. She just had to keep telling herself that.

Her phone rang and Peyton rushed to pick it up. "Jake?" She asked breathlessly.

"Ouch, are things going that bad already?" Anna asked.

"You could say that." Peyton said tiredly. "Life is never easy if you're from Tree Hill right?"

"Good thing I'm not." Anna joked. "So what's going on? How was the reunion party?"

"Tense and fake." Peyton said. "Everyone was afraid to bring up the past so we stayed on safe topics like what we've been doing and it was just a load of shit."

"And where's Jake?"

"Where do you think?" She asked bitterly. "With Kali probably confessing his undying love."

"Peyt, you knew this would happen if you went up there." Anna said gently.

"I was hoping for a little more time before he fucked her on her living room floor!" Peyton spat. "Shit, I hate this. I hate how I get when it comes to those two."

"What'd you expect when you put yourself in that hopeless situation?" Anna asked her. "Damn it Peyt, Jake never stopped loving her…it was just put on hold."

"You don't have to tell me that."

"I don't, which is why I'm still left wondering why you're in a hotel in New York drowning your sorrows in some disgusting liquor while he's with Kali."

Peyton laughed a soft sob bubbling in her throat. "Because I still wish it was me."

Anna sucked in a breath. "Shit Peyt, get a ticket and come back to North Carolina."

"I can't do that because then she's won and I refuse to lose to that bitch."

"At the risk of degrading yourself even more?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Look at yourself Peyt, you're in New York with a guy you knew and _everyone else _knew would stray. What do you think your friends are thinking of you now? Probably something along the lines of 'Poor Peyton still can't figure out that Jake will never love her like he loves Kali.'"

"Shut up." Peyton said sobbing. "Damn it Anna, I don't need this."

"You don't, you're right. Which is why you should save any dignity you have left and get the hell out of there." Anna advised.

"I have to go." Peyton said softly.

"Why?" Anna challenged. "Trying to hide from the truth?"

"No." She replied looking up at Jake. "Because he's back."

_That since I lost you, I lost myself_

_I know I can't fake it, there's no one else_

Kali sat up in bed, wrapping her blanket around her naked body.

"Oh shit." She muttered. "I slept with him."

Any other day, that would have been fine. Kali loved Jake, and she wanted to be with him, but right now he had a girlfriend.

She put her robe on looking confused. "Jake?" She called.

Walking into the kitchen she saw the quick note scribbled on her dry erase board.

_Kali,_

_By the time you get up I'll be long gone. When we see each other again I hope we'll both be thinking clearly. Don't think that this was just a one night stand because it wasn't. I love you, I wasn't lying when I said that but things are complicated. There is Peyton to think about—and Jenny. What we did was rash…and wrong. I'm so sorry. I'll talk to you when I can._

_I love you, Jake_

"Fuck." Kali groaned tears leaking out of her eyes. "Peyton and Jenny to think about my ass."

She gasped tears soaking her clothes as she slid to the floor. "I hate him." She whimpered. "Damn it I hate him."

_I just want you to know that I've been fighting to let you go _

_Some days I'll make it through, and then there's nights that never end_

_I wish that I could believe that there's a day you'll come back to me_

_But still I have to say I would do it all again, just want you to know_

**TBC**

_**Music Credits: Backstreet Boys – Just Want You to Know**_

_**A/N: **Wow, this chapter was harsh. Think I should up the rating? It only gets worse before it gets better. Reviews are always welcome!_


	4. Tangled

**Warring Emotions**

**By: **Sari

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill is not mine. If I had enough money I'd probably buy it just so I could get rid of half the characters on the show.

**Summary: **"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin. The sequel to _This Time Around._

**4: Tangled**

_I'm full of regret_

_For all the things that I have done and said_

_And I don't know if it'll ever be ok to show_

_My face around here_

_Sometimes I wonder if I disappear_

_Would you ever turn your head and look_

_See if I'm gone_

_Cause I fear_

"Peyton."

"Jake." She replied stubbornly. "Only 2 AM? I thought you'd be out later. Must have just went for a quickie right?"

"Peyton stop." Jake said a warning tone slipping into his voice. "Don't go there."

"Why not?" She said laughing. "It's true isn't it? You went over there and slept with her."

Jake closed his eyes painfully. "That's not what happened."

"No?" Peyton said raising an eyebrow. "So then you two were fighting passionately and all of a sudden she tripped and fell on your dick? Explain it to me Jake because I don't think I understand."

"Peyton." Jake said calmly. "I didn't mean for it to happen. It just did."

She smiled bitterly. "Like the time you screamed her name out when we were having sex? That was just an accident too?"

"If you love her so damn much why are still back here explaining this shit to me?" Peyton asked. "Just stay with her and leave me the hell alone."

"I can't do that." He said simply. "I love you."

"But not like you love her." Peyton finished. "I get it Jake, I know you better than anyone."

"If you tell me to stay I will." He said finally, breaking their staring match.

"So I can feel guilty because I'm hurting you and her. No I've had enough of feeling guilty in my lifetime." She said scornfully. "Run along to Kali, you're free."

"I'm not going to leave like this." He said. "You're hurt and angry…and it's my fault."

"OF COURSE IT'S YOUR FAULT." She screamed. "YOU FUCKED HER AND THEN CAME BACK HERE EXPECTING ME TO BE HAPPY ABOUT IT."

He flinched and looked down. "That's not what I'm asking for Peyt. I didn't ask to feel this way about Kali! It'd make everything simpler if I felt that way about you but damn it I don't. No matter how hard I try to forget her I can't."

Peyton let out an embarrassed sob. "I was waiting for you to say that." She said sadly. "I've been waiting a year and half to hear you say those words and now that you've said them I don't know what to do."

"Oh god Peyt…" Jake said sitting by her on the bed and wrapping his arms around her. "I am so sorry."

"It sucks when you love someone so much and they can never love you back." She said sobbing. "And I want to hate you and I want to blame you but I can't because I fucking knew this would happen! I'm the asshole that stayed with you when I knew you were in love with her."

"I want to make this easier for you." Jake said helplessly. "But I can't…I don't know how."

"Leave." Peyton said pulling away from him. "Go back to Kali."

"You're going to be okay?" He asked.

She laughed bitterly. "Eventually I will be." She said.

"Peyt, I do love you." He whispered.

"Stop saying that." She ordered. "Because you don't. If you did you wouldn't be doing this."

"I'm sorry." He muttered pathetically.

Peyton watched him find his suitcase and leave before breaking down completely. Fumbling for her phone she dialed back Anna. "I lost before it even began." She managed to get out.

"He broke up with you?" Anna said surprised. "Jake's too much of a wuss to do that."

Peyton laughed. "You're right he is a wuss, I had to push him out the door."

"_You dumped him?_" Anna asked in amazement. "Damn Peyton I'm proud of you."

"Yeah, me too." She said softly.

_There is nothing left to say to you _

_That you wanna hear _

_That you wanna know _

_I think I should go _

_The things I've done are way too shameful_

Kali groaned as someone flipped the light switch to the kitchen. She must have cried herself to sleep on the kitchen floor after reading Jake's note. "What the hell…who's there?"

"What the hell happened to you?" Adam asked concerned. He pulled her up and sat her on the counter, handing her a wet paper towel to wiper her face with. "You look like someone came here and died in front of you."

She gestured to the dry erase board. "Jake was here."

"The infamous Jake that is keeping you from getting with me Jake?" Adam asked peering at the note. "You slept with him?"

"And then he left."

"To go break it off with his girlfriend?"

She shrugged. "All I know is that he referred to it as a mistake and there was too much in the way for anything to happen. So I guess all it was to him was a goodbye fuck." She said bitterly.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Isn't he like some type of saint?"

"Guess not." She walked into her bedroom. "Put on some coffee for me?" She called back. "And answer the door if anyone comes."

"You got it."

Kali closed the door and sighed against it. Adam Mcafferty had helped her through a lot when she first met him. Still reeling from Jake's coldness and lack of contact they had struck up an easy friendship because of their similar majors and it had quickly developed into something more. The something more being a one night stand, but even that hadn't ruined their friendship. It had just made them closer. And Kali knew that he was quite possibly in love with her. He put up with too much of her shit not to be but she didn't want to go into a relationship with him if she knew she was still longing for Jake.

So they were just friends, much to his chagrin.

Kali took a shower and washed her face before getting started on reapplying her makeup. Mentally she strengthened herself for the day. Another confrontation with the friends was coming up. They were going for breakfast. She was starting to despise ever coming up with the stupid idea of a reunion. She didn't think she could last a week of smiling in Peyton's face knowing that she was the person in the way of her and Jake's relationship.

She'd probably break her neck—or something along those lines.

"Adam I don't smell any…" She broke off eyes widening at the person Adam was talking to you.

"Hey Kali, I was just about to come and get you." Adam turned to Jake. "What was your name again…?"

"I didn't tell you." Jake replied coldly. "But it's Jake."

Adam's turned wide eyes on Kali. "Oh. Well then, I'll be in the kitchen."

"What are you doing here?" Kali asked. "Why aren't you begging for Peyton's forgiveness?"

"We broke up." His eyes wandered over to the kitchen area. "You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend."

"It's not like you could do anything." Kali said mocking his earlier words. "I was a mistake and a complication Jake, go back to Peyton." She looked down. "He's not my boyfriend."

"So did you just call him after I left?" He asked angrily.

Kali's eyes widened and then narrowed. "How dare you insinuate that I'm a slut?" She growled. "Get the hell out of here Jake, I don't want to talk to you and I sure as hell don't want to see you."

"Jesus Kali, did last night mean nothing to you?" Jake asked incredulously. "Why are you acting like this?"

"I don't know Jake" She started sarcastically. "Maybe it's because you had sex with me, left me some lame ass excuse about it not working and the night was so special but you still had to go run home to Peyton, and then came back the next morning expecting me to jump back in your arms. You were right on the first count Jake, last night was a foolish mistake. We shouldn't have gone from a year and a half of broken promises and silence to jumping in the sack _it just doesn't work like that._"

"I know we rushed, and we shouldn't have. It wasn't my intention to get you into bed."

She nodded. "I got that" She said softly. "But we can't just pick up things where we left off Jake, we have to take it slow."

"I can do that, as long as you can promise me that there is an us."

"I can't promise that." Kali said regretfully. "But I can promise to try."

Jake nodded. "I'll take what I can get."

_You're just an innocent_

_A helpless victim of a spider's web_

_And I'm an insect_

_Going after anything that I can get_

Nathan smiled broadly as he saw the pretty, almond-eyed woman search the airplane terminal for him. At first he had thought it was a mistake to invite Madison to the reunion with him but now that she was here he couldn't be happier he suggested it. If Madison was around he could at least keep his mind off of Haley, and if he slipped he knew Madison would catch him. She was perhaps the most understanding girl he had ever known.

"Hey baby!" Madison called making her way through the crowd toward him. "Wow, I've never been to New York before this is so awesome!"

He grinned. "It's not too bad, I've been here a couple times."

"I know, you've told me in detail about every time." She said playfully. "How was the get together?"

"Tense." Nathan said shrugging. "It was a given you know, with how everyone left each other senior year."

"I keep hearing about this infamous senior year." Madison said rolling her eyes. "You guys should make a story about your lives or something, it's impossible to have _that _much drama in such a small group of people."

"Hey, you're apart of the drama now too, so don't get all snobbish."

She kissed his cheek. "Whatever Nate, so what about this breakfast that I'm being forced to attend? Are we going straight there?"

He nodded. "Your plane came in too late for us to go by the hotel and then make it back to the restaurant by 10."

"Fine with me, is the place nearby?" She asked climbing into Nathan's rental car.

He nodded concentrating on the busy New York streets. Soon enough they were stuck in mid-morning traffic and Madison had dozed off leaving him to wonder about their relationship once again. He had been doing that a lot lately, another result of running into Haley. Madison had become his best friend and lover while away in Miami, she was in so many ways his rock—the person that kept him grounded he knew that they could last—if he'd just forget about Haley.

Fat chance of _that_ happening.

Pulling into a parking space he shook Madison awake and both of them made their way into the fancy restaurant that Kali had picked for the breakfast.

"So where are they?" Madison asked anxiously. "And is Haley there? I have to prepare myself you know."

"Stop worrying, they'll love you." He pointed towards the back where a private area had been set up. "There they are. The blonde boy is my brother Lucas, the brunette next to him is Brooke, and the redhead across from them is Haley. I guess the others haven't gotten here yet."

"God she's gorgeous, I should just concede defeat now." She said grimacing.

"Hey." He commanded. "I'm with you, not her."

"Not by choice." She muttered.

Nathan chose to ignore that comment and walked over to the booth where his friends where sitting. "Hey guys."

"Hey Nate!" Lucas said happily. "I was starting to think you weren't going to show. Who's this lovely lady you have here?"

"This is Madison Lee, my girlfriend. Madison this is Lucas, Haley, and Brooke." He said.

Madison smiled weakly and sat down besides Nathan. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. I've heard so many things."

"Not bad I hope." Lucas said good naturedly.

She shook her head. "Nathan speaks really well of all of you." She assured him.

"That's a surprise." Brooke piped up. "We weren't on the best of terms the last time we saw him."

"And I apologize for that." Nathan said looking at Lucas. "I was a dick to blame you for all that shit back then."

Lucas waved away the apology. "Don't worry about it, you were going through a lot. I understand."

"Thanks Luke, that means a lot."

Lucas just nodded and smiled brightly changing the subject. "So Madison what do you do?"

"I'm a bartender actually." She said blushing. "I go to UM for Music Theatre."

"Music Theatre?" Haley asked surprised. "Do you want to be in the music business?"

Madison nodded. "Music is my passion. I'm hoping to either become a song-writer/singer or just become like a talent coach or something. Anything will do really, as long as I'm entertaining or help to bring up a new entertainer."

"That's really ambitious of you." Lucas said impressed. "But the real question is: are you any good?"

"Lucas!" Brooke scolded.

Nathan grinned. "Trust me when I say she's amazing."

Madison blushed again swatting at Nathan's arm. "I'm okay." She said humbly.

"Madison's doing a show up here." Nathan added. "That's is one of the reasons I invited her. How about I get all of us tickets?"

"That'd be great." Lucas said enthusiastically. "And here comes the rest of our party, late as usual."

Nathan looked up seeing a very tense Peyton, Kali, and Jake walking through the door. "That looks like trouble." He muttered.

"Why?" Madison asked confused.

Lucas laughed. "You see the platinum blonde? That's Kali she used to date Jake, the dark haired guy, and he's currently dating Peyton, the curly-haired blonde."

"Oh I see, love triangle?"

"You got it in one."

"Ouch." Madison said wincing. "I suddenly feel as if this breakfast is going to be very interesting."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Brooke said raising an eyebrow at Peyton's appearance and the obvious tension between the three people approaching them.

_And I've done you so wrong_

_Treated you bad_

_Strung you along_

_Oh, shame on myself_

_I don't know how I got so tangled_

Brooke and Lucas finally made their escape outside the building with the excuse that they needed some privacy. To wolf whistles and cat calls they left the restaurant and both sighed in relief as they stepped out into the chilly streets of New York. The tension between Peyton, Jake, and Kali was so thick it was suffocating them not to mention the secret glances Haley and Nathan were giving each other whenever Lucas or Brooke managed to engage Madison in conversation.

"Damnit, inside there is like high school all over again." Lucas muttered rubbing his cold hands together. "I'm counting down until one of us snaps and tells everyone to fuck off."

Brooke nodded cracking a small smile. "Something happened between Peyton, Jake, and Kali and I think I know what it is."

"Jake broke up with Peyton to get back with Kali." Lucas guessed. "It's obvious because Peyton's upset but trying not to show it…"

"And Jake and Kali are uncomfortable." Madison's soft voice broke in. "Sorry to interrupt, it was getting kind of stuffy in there for me."

Brooke smiled apologetically at her. "We're not usually like this."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we really are. The rare moments of peace and unity in our bunch is fake and should be taken with a grain of salt."

"If it's so bad between all of you why bother to even try?" Madison asked.

Brooke sighed looking through the window at her friends. "Because these people are my family. They helped me become who I am today and I owe it to myself and to them to try one more time."

Lucas nodded. "What Brooke said."

Madison smiled weakly catching the looks going between Brooke and Lucas. "What?"

"Do you know about anything that went on between Haley and Nathan?"

"Every last bit of it." Madison said. "And I know he still loves her."

"Then why…?" Brooke started to ask.

"If he wants to go back to her then he can." Madison said. "I care about Nate a lot and I just want him to be happy even if it isn't with me. He's a good guy and he deserves it."

Lucas looked at her compassionately. "This must suck for you."

She shrugged. "I went through something like this a while back and my boyfriend then wasn't as understanding. I know what it feels like to be in love with someone but have too many obstacles in the way. If he could get through that and get back to Haley then I'd be happy for him."

"Thank you…for understanding."

Madison nodded and looked back through the window where Nathan and Haley were laughing at some secret joke. "I just wish this wasn't so hard."

Lucas smiled sadly and hugged her. "You're a good person Madison, it'll all work out in the end."

_And I've done you so wrong_

_Treated you bad_

_Strung you along_

_Oh, shame on myself_

_I don't know how I got so tangled_

**TBC**

_**Music Credits: Maroon 5 – Tangled**_

**_A/N: _**The couples for this fic are as followed: Brucas, Naley, and Jeyton. Sorry Kali/Jake fans, but they aren't meant to be. Yes, Madison is going to play a big part in this story and unknowingly cause some trouble between Brucas and Naley but all will end happily.


	5. Bad Day

**Warring Emotions**

**By: **Sari

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill is not mine. If I had enough money I'd probably buy it just so I could get rid of half the characters on the show.

**Summary: **"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin. The sequel to _This Time Around._

**5: Bad Day**

_Where is the moment we needed the most_

_You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost_

_They tell me your blue skies fade to grey_

_They tell me your passion's gone away_

_And I don't need no carryin' on_

Nathan and Haley faced each other after Jake and Kali had bowed out claiming they wanted to catch up alone and Brooke and Peyton had did the same. He had been worried at first, that Madison would feel jealous that he wanted to stay with Haley, but she didn't need much prodding by Lucas to join him in exploring the city. For some reason, Nathan didn't want to look to deep into that pairing.

"So…" Haley said nervously. "You said you wanted to talk. So here we are…we should talk."

"It's been a while since we could talk civilly; give me a minute while this sinks in." He joked.

She smiled weakly then quickly looked back down at her hands, at that Nathan quickly turned serious. It seemed like Haley wasn't in the mood for joking around. "So how are you really Hales? You were really quiet yesterday night and you weren't much better this morning."

"I'm fine Nate." Haley said shortly.

"No you're not." He said gently. "I may not be as close to you as I was Hales, but I think I can still tell when you're unhappy."

"Why do you care? We're divorced." She said. "It took your mom a whole hell of a lot of money to pay for that lawyer so I'm sure you remember the fact that we are."

"That doesn't mean anything." He insisted. "A piece of paper isn't going to stop me from caring about you."

"You don't have the right to anymore." Haley replied. "You're with Madison who seems like a great girl."

"She is." Nathan agreed. "But Madison isn't you."

"As if I didn't already know that." Haley bit back sarcastically.

Nathan's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Hales, why are you acting like this?"

"Why the hell are you being so nice?' She shot at him. "It's been at least a year since I've seen or heard from you and the last thing we said to each other was something along the lines of 'fuck you' so I don't see why I should be dishing out the happy vibes when I don't feel happy being here with you."

"I want to put the past behind us." Nathan requested. "I want us to become friends."

"Yeah, well I want to be some big shot singer and not working my ass off to stay in school, life doesn't usually go the way we want it too." Haley retorted.

Switching gears, Nathan asked her another question. "How's Chris?"

She snorted. "Like you care."

"I do or I wouldn't have asked."

"You hate Chris always have and probably always will." She reminded him.

He glared at the table, this was going to be harder than he expected. "I may not have liked Chris a whole lot the total of the three times I spoke with him but I'm asking this question because I care about your life." He paused running a hand through his short dark hair. "So could you please answer it?"

"He's fine, still off trying to make it big." She finally answered. "Is that satisfactory enough for you?"

"Why'd you decide to stop doing music? I thought that was your dream." He asked genuinely confused.

"I realized I was losing more than I was gaining." Haley responded softly. "I love music and I love to perform but the disadvantages outweighed the advantages. I was just too stubborn and naïve to see it before it ruined my life."

Nathan's breath caught in his throat. Did that mean… "Does that mean you regret what happened?"

She looked up from the table meeting his eyes and Nathan knew that the emotions in her eyes mirrored his own. "Yeah…" She whispered. "With all my heart. I wish that I could go back and stop us from divorcing, I wish I could go back and stop my situation from almost ruining your relationship with Lucas, I wish I could stop the pressure of us fighting from screwing with Jake and Kali's relationship, I wish I could go back and tell you how much having to divorce you hurt me, but goddamnit I can't!" She said tears streaming down her face.

"Shit Hales…"

She stood up abruptly wiping tears away hastily. "I have to go to work." She murmured.

"Haley can't it wait…I want to…" Nathan said trailing off.

"I have to go." She repeated again firmly.

Nathan watched her walked out the door and cursed.

_You stand in the line just to hit a new low_

_You're faking a smile with the coffee to go_

_You tell me your life's been way off line_

_You're falling to pieces everytime_

_And I don't need no carryin' on_

"It's so good talking to you again." Peyton said smiling happily for the first time since getting in New York. "It's been pretty hard without you Brooke."

"Yeah, well who's fault was that?" Brooke asked knowing the answer.

"Mine, and I'm sorry about that." Peyton said.

"What's past stays in the past." Brooke said smiling. "It's 2008 now and we're different people. At least I hope we are."

Peyton nodded. "As of last night I can say I turned over a new leaf." Peyton said remosefully. "I finally let Jake go."

"You let Jake go?" Brooke said astonished. "As in **_you_** dumped **_him_**?"

Peyton laughed hollowly. "I didn't think it was that amazing to believe."

Brooke looked down uncomfortably. "Peyt you have to understand, you have a track record of becoming a little desperate when it comes to him."

Peyton chuckled. "Believe me I know, but I'm finished with him and the whole situation now."

Brooke looked doubtful. "Peyt that's big words to be saying…"

"And I plan to follow through." Peyton said cutting her off. "Yeah I'm in love with him and I have been for a long time, and yeah I wish he felt the same way, but he doesn't and I'm sick of playing seconds to Kali and having to pull god knows what trick just to keep him interested in me and not lovesick over her." Peyton wiped away tears. "I deluded myself into thinking that he'd forget her and we'd live happily ever after but guess what, the joke's on me."

Brooke stopped walking to pull Peyton into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry Peyton."

Peyton gave her a small smile. "Let's get off of this subject, yeah?" She said weakly.

Brooke nodded. "I'd talk about Lucas and I but that'd be like rubbing salt in a wound right?"

"No, no!" Peyton protested. "Tell me about you two. You're both so happy and I probably missed all those defining moments that got you there so go ahead and blab as much as you want to."

"Well you're the first to know so keep this to yourself but Luke and I have actually considered transferring to UM next fall." Brooke said.

"Whoah that's big. Why?"

"You know how Nate said the basketball coaches were after him? Well, Lucas is thinking of taking them up on their offer. He gets a full scholarship and they're even going to pay for off campus housing. It's a really sweet deal." Brooke said.

"What about you? You want to move to Florida?" Peyton asked.

"What's not to like about Florida? Sun, sand, hot guys…"

"Hurricanes, skin cancer, a huge move…" Peyton added.

"We haven't decided yet." Brooke reminded her. "It's just speculation."

"It's not like Luke needs to worry about money." Peyton said. "Didn't Dan leave him all that money for school?"

Brooke nodded. "It's still sitting there collecting interest in the bank." She said rolling her eyes. "He has some idiotic reason for not using it but I don't even want to listen."

"Why not?" Peyton asked confused.

"Between you and me Peyt, Luke is filled with way too much self-righteousness. Yeah so his dad was a dick to him half of his life. He still made an effort by leaving him a college fund and now he doesn't even want to use it and would rather uproot us from where we've settled than use his dad's money? I just think it's stupid and inconsiderate to me."

Peyton raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you don't want to go to Florida."

Brooke sighed. "It's not that I don't want to go Peyt, it's just that I'd rather stay in Boston where we're settled, have friends, and happy with our lives."

"Who's to say you won't be happy in Florida? I'm sure Lucas would be." Peyton said. "He'd be near his brother, playing basketball which he loves, and still a good distance from Tree Hill."

"Yeah Lucas would be happy." Brooke replied scornfully.

"If that's how you feel Brooke then just tell him." Peyton said.

"I don't want to ruin this week."

"It's ruining it already if you got this upset." Peyton reminded her.

"Yeah…" Brooke sighed. "I'll tell him."

_Cause you had a bad day_

_You're taking one down_

_You sing a sad song just to turn it around_

_You say you don't know_

_You tell me don't lie_

_You work at a smile and you go for a ride_

Lucas and Madison strolled the streets of the marketplace they had found a couple blocks down from the restaurant they had been at. When Brooke had bailed on him for Peyton and Jake and Kali for their own privacy it made sense to Lucas to invite Madison somewhere else, Nathan and Haley obviously needed the time alone. They had been throwing glances at each other the whole morning and with each glance making Madison just a little bit more upset each time.

So Lucas felt good that he had got her out of the situation. He knew if he had left the three alone she'd been miserable and he didn't want that for her. She was a nice girl and he liked her. They seemed to get along well, it was scary how well.

"Earth calling…pilot to co-pilot…looking for life on this planet sir no sign of it." Madison said waving her hand in front of his face.

"What was that?" He asked bewildered.

She giggled. "A line out of an old Eminem song. I figured the bizarreness of it would snap you out of whatever reality you were stuck in."

"I was thinking." He said.

She nodded. "I know."

He watched her look through some piles of costume jewelry on the table in front of them. "You really wouldn't buy something ugly like that would you?"

"Maybe, I like gaudy jewelry."

Lucas pulled a face and she hit his arm playfully. "Alright Lucas, entertain me. Give me some stories about you and Nathan."

"What do you want to hear about?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know, something interesting."

He thought for awhile. "I didn't know that my father lived in the same town as me or that I had a brother until I turned 16."

She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Dan, my father, left my mom after high school and got married a couple months later to Nathan's mom, Deborah Scott, so I was raised thinking that my father had ran off—which he had—and that he wasn't anywhere in the vicinity of Tree Hill. My father's brother, Keith and my mom basically raised me and I didn't find out that Nathan and I were half brothers until I joined the basketball team." Lucas said lost in the memory. "Then all hell broke loose and my mom told me about Dan and Dan told Nathan about me. Nathan in turn decided to make my life a living hell. He tried to turn the school against me claiming I was infringing on his territory."

"Damn he sounds like a jerk." She said grimacing. "And I'm dating this guy?"

He laughed. "Nathan changed a lot after he met Haley, he's a better person now."

"Haley's your best friend right?" Madison asked. "I think Nathan mentioned that when he was telling me about her."

Lucas nodded. "Well I was, I don't even know if you can classify us as best friends anymore. This is really everyone's first time talking to each other again."

She looked thoughtful. "But do you still consider her your best friend?"

"Of course."

"Then how can you stand being around me knowing that I'm stopping Nathan from being with her? It's obvious that she still cares for him." Madison inquired. "They were practically having eye sex right in front of me."

Lucas pulled her into a nearby café so they could sit down and talk without having to shout to each other over the noises of the city. "In most cases I'd be inclined to agree with you." Lucas said. "But Haley has proved to me over and over again that meddling in her affairs is not in my best interest. All it has ever got me was either Haley mad at me or Nathan mad at me so I just stay out of it. I'll let them figure out their problems on their own. Plus it sucks to say this to you but if Haley and Nathan really wanted to be together I doubt there is anything you could do to stop it."

Madison bowed her head. "Very true." She finally said, in reference to his last statement. "Life's a bitch right? Playing second place isn't the most fun thing in the world."

"So break it off with him." Lucas suggested. "It's inevitable that it's going to happen so why prolong it?"

"I'm still kind of hoping that he'll change his mind you know?" She asked sighing.

"It's a nice thought, but I doubt it." Lucas said.

They lapsed into silence both of them mulling over their thoughts and nursing lukewarm coffee when a silent tear dripped down Madison's face. Brushing it away she smiled bravely at Lucas. "I guess your right, and I knew I'd have to do this."

"What does that mean?" He asked curiously.

"I'm breaking up with him." Madison said resolve in her eyes.

_You had a bad day_

_You've seen what you like_

_And how does it feel for one more time_

_You had a bad day_

_You had a bad day_

**TBC**

_**Music Credits: Daniel Powter – Bad Day**_


	6. When It's Over

**Warring Emotions**

**By: **Sari

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill is not mine. If I had enough money I'd probably buy it just so I could get rid of half the characters on the show.

**Summary: **"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin. The sequel to _This Time Around._

**6: When It's Over**

_When it's over_

_that's the time I fall in love again._

_When it's over_

_that's the time you're in my heart again._

_And when you go, go, go, go_

_I know it never ends_

_never ends._

Nathan sighed remorsefully, not even bothering to check if Madison had found her way back to the hotel before throwing himself on the king sized bed in defeat. His conversation with Haley had been complete hell. It was torture to see the coldness in her eyes and when he had finally managed to crack the surface the hot pain that coursed underneath. She had admitted that she was still in love with him and then ran off never giving him a chance to respond.

He couldn't help but be thankful that she didn't stick around though, because he knew he would have made a fool of himself. He would have done something stupid like not say the words back because he did love her. If he didn't know it before he certainly knew it now, everything before had just been lies and smokescreens.

He perked up at the sound of voices outside of the hotel room door. One voice, soft and deep, probably Lucas dropping her off and the other he recognized as Madison. He knew he should have felt guilty when his body filled with dread.

The door opened and he could faintly hear Madison saying her goodbyes to Lucas before pulling the door shut and throwing her jacket and purse on the couch. "Nathan?" She called. "You here yet?"

"Hey Madison" He replied weakly stepping out of the bedroom.

"Hey!" She said brightly. "How was your day?"

"Good." He said sitting down. "You stayed out pretty long with Lucas."

"I figured you and Haley would want to spend some time with each other and Brooke went off with Peyton so Lucas and I decided to go somewhere as well." She said brushing off his comment.

"Where'd you two go?"

She shrugged. "We walked around and then we went to a café to eat a snack and talk. It was nice, he's a cool guy."

"I'm glad you two hit it off then." Nathan said carefully.

"Yeah your brother's great." Madison said closing the subject. "How was your talk with Haley?"

He sighed. "It was stressful."

"Usually talking to your ex-wife can make you that way." Madison replied. "Not that I have any experience or anything."

"Yeah well…I didn't think it'd be that difficult to strike up conversation." He said sighing once again. "It used to be so easy."

"Until you got pissed at her for her friendship with that singing boy, let your mom dictate your actions, and then divorced her." Madison summed up helpfully. "And I'm sure there was arguments and general frustration in between those key events."

He smiled. "Thank you for reminding me Madison."

"It's what I do." She said smiling back, but she turned serious a few seconds later. "We have to talk."

"I thought that was what we were doing." Nathan said sarcastically.

"I need you to be serious." Madison requested staring down at her hands. "Because this is hard enough already without you joking about it."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry."

"I…this…we…" Madison stopped. "Shit, Nate this has to stop."

"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked bewildered.

She stood by the door not quite meeting his eyes. "If I had a video camera I could show you just how pathetic you were today. You and Haley were acting as if you were secret loves on some clandestine tryst when in reality you were at a table with all your friends watching you too practically make love to each other with your eyes." She laughed. "Do you know how embarrassing it is to have people feel sorry for you because you never stood a chance? You know, when I first started this relationship I was sure I could get you over her but apparently you were just appeasing me because you are still the same love sick guy you were a year ago."

"Madison…look that's not what was happening today."

"Of course you didn't mean for it to happen." Madison said ignoring his comment. "You can't deny the chemistry that is between you two. Maybe you just needed some time apart to figure out how much you two needed each other and I'm fine with that Nate, really I am. I just don't want to trap you in a relationship you don't want to be in."

"Maddy, you are not trapping me!" Nathan protested.

She sighed tiredly. "I don't even know why you're arguing with me when you know it's true. Can you honestly look me in the eyes and tell me you're not in love with her?"

Nathan kept his eyes down and Madison smiled faintly. "See?"

"I thought I could get over her." Nathan admitted quietly. "Madison I didn't do any of this on purpose."

She nodded. "I know that Nate." She smiled kindly at him. "And I wish you and Haley the best of luck."

"We're still friends right?" Nathan asked hopefully.

"Of course." Madison picked up her bags. "I'm going to go ahead and stay with some friends okay? Just call if you need me."

"Okay, and thank you for understanding Maddy, and being upfront about it when I couldn't be."

She smiled. "It's what friends do."

_All things that I used to say,_

_all words that got in the way,_

_All things that I used to know_

_have gone out the window._

"Hey you got back late." Brooke said walking into the small living room of the hotel they were staying in. "You and Madison must have really hit it off."

Lucas smiled. "She's a great girl. Nate's an idiot for stringing her along."

"Is that what you two talked about the whole time?" Brooke asked curiously.

"No, but does it matter?" He said raising an eyebrow.

"No, not really."

He looked amused. "You want to talk to me about something Brooke, so just say it?"

She sighed in relief. "I was never good at the starting serious conversations thing."

"I know." He said grinning. "So what's going on? Talking with Peyton already causing problems?"

She glared. "No that's not it, and I can't believe you're still holding a grudge when you're all chummy with Nathan and Haley."

"Nathan's my brother and Haley's my best friend." Lucas said rolling his eyes. "It makes as much sense as you still talking to Peyton."

"Whatever." Brooke huffed. "It's about the offer you got to go to UM."

"Oh that." Lucas said. "They've been cramming my voicemail with messages to call them back. I don't think I can stall for longer, did you finally decide what you want to do?"

"I don't want to go." Brooke said softly. "I know I was excited about it at first but I don't want to leave Boston or Boston U, nor do I want to have to start in a brand new place with people I don't know."

"We would know Nathan and Madison." He pointed out.

"That's not the point." Brooke argued. "We're settled in Boston. We have friends who look out for us, you're doing great there and so am I. Why do you suddenly want to go back into basketball? You said it yourself that you don't want or need the fame!"

"Brooke…I don't know how to explain it." He replied helplessly. "I'm not going back to basketball out of love for the game—even though it is a hobby—I just don't want to have to worry about us and money…"

She snorted. "You're letting Dan's money waste away in the bank, why don't you use that?"

"I've already explained why I can't do that Brooke." Lucas said sternly.

She rolled her eyes. "Some misguided, idiotic reason I'm sure. I never bothered to listen."

Luca's face turned an angry shade of red. "That wasn't called for Brooke."

"What Luke?" Brooke asked exasperated. "I'm sick of this 'I can't take charity from Dan' bullshit you keep pulling. He's your _DAD _for Christ sake! It's not a hand out to use his money. After all the shit he put you through don't you think you deserve it? You have nothing to prove anymore **_HE'S DEAD_**!"

The room was dead silent after Brooke's outburst and she couldn't help but wince at the dirty look Lucas was sending her.

"You wouldn't understand Brooke." He finally said breaking the tense moment.

She shrugged. "Maybe I can't, but I can understand one thing: I'm not going to Florida."

He stood up and grabbed his coat making his way for the door. "Where are you going?"

"To think, you got your chance let me get mine." He said.

"You're coming home tonight right?"

He dragged a hand through helplessly messy short blonde hair. "You know what Brooke?" He said softly. "I don't even know."

Brooke could only stare at the shut door in shock.

_I'm missing you,_

_I never knew how much you loved me._

_I'm missing you,_

_I never knew how much you meant to me; I need you._

Nathan knocked on Haley's door nervously switching the vase of flowers in his hands back and forth. He knew she had gone to work but it didn't hurt to stop by. After wasting time telling Kali the whole story (who promptly chastised him for being so dense and slow) he had rushed over here intent on catching her before she left or camping out in front of her door.

He hadn't really planned on Chris fucking Keller opening the door.

"Oh this is priceless." Chris said laughing. "Nathan Scott, Haley's ex-husband. How's life treating you?" He asked letting him inside the small apartment. "And you brought flowers too? Damn."

Nathan started doing counting exercises. He didn't think he'd ever be ready to talk civilly with Chris. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Actually I should be asking you that since I live here." Chris said smirking.

"You live here?" Nathan said scoffing. "Don't expect me to believe that."

"What's so hard to believe?" Chris said carelessly. "You've been out of Haley's life for almost a year now Nathan, people change and circumstances change. You were so paranoid about Haley doing something with me it finally happened."

"You and Haley are going out?" Nathan asked incredulously.

"Is it that hard to believe? We always had more in common." Chris said smugly.

Nathan swallowed his throat suddenly dry. Not letting Chris see what his words were doing to him he set the vase on the table and backed up towards the door. "Tell Haley that I came by then."

"I'll be sure to mention that." Chris said haughtily.

Just as Nathan was about to open the door, Haley walked in looking surprised to see both of them. "Nathan what are you doing here?" Haley asked confused.

"I dropped by…you know to talk about this morning, but Chris enlightened me about your situation." Nathan said halfheartedly. "I'll talk to you later okay?"

"No!" Haley replied forcefully. "You stay there because I have a feeling what Chris told you."

Nathan shrugged. He didn't want to be here but he'd stay for her.

"Chris let me guess, you played the 'I'm still her boyfriend card' right?" Haley asked aggravated. "Why don't you get it through your thick head that we are over and your music career went down the drain with it? I don't like you, I probably never will like you, and now that I got that ridiculous notion of ever doing anything with you out of my head I think it's safe to say that I don't ever want to see you again." Haley said firmly. "So get your shit and leave, and rest assured the locks will be changed by the time you try this shit again."

Nathan smirked. "Wow, never thought I'd see the day."

Chris turned angrily to him. "Oh shove it you idiotic jock, it took me fucking around with your ex-wife to see what you'd been missing, I wouldn't be so cocky."

"Yet I'm still the one standing here while you're being kicked out." Nathan said not even batting an eye at Chris's comment.

"You're making a mistake Haley." Chris ventured standing by the door. "We would have been great together but here you are making the same mistakes again."

Haley smiled coldly. "Chris, the first and last mistake I ever made was you. Now please, don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Chris stomped out the apartment and Nathan clapped. "That was amazing."

She blushed. "Yeah, I thought you'd like that."

"So this morning you were telling the truth?"

"I wouldn't lie about something like that." Haley said softly.

"I know…it's just…" Nathan exhaled slowly. "It's hard to believe you know? I wanted this for so long and all of a sudden you're saying all the words I wanted to hear."

"But do you…what is that supposed to mean?" She finally asked.

"I love you." He whispered. "So much…I never stopped and I probably never will."

Haley's eyes widened in disbelief, tears making their way down pale cheeks. "Madison?" She asked cautiously.

"Not in the picture anymore."

"So then what does this mean?" Haley asked shivering slightly.

"I love you…and you love me." Nathan replied simply. "What do you want it to mean?"

"I want us to try again."

"That" Nathan said kissing away the tears that escaped her brown eyes, "is something that I can agree with."

_When it's over, can I still come over?_

Lucas wandered idly around the New York City streets contemplating his argument with Brooke. He loved Brooke, he did, but he couldn't understand why she had suddenly changed her mind about Florida. They had talked about it briefly in Boston and had dismissed it quickly when Brooke said she needed to get away from the cold Boston weather but now she was serious about not going. And was boggled his mind was that she lashed out at him for not taking Dan's money, even ridiculing him for his choice. She knew how much talking about Dan in any way hurt him, it was just so out of character for her.

For some reason he couldn't help blaming it on Peyton. He stumbled slightly as his cell phone rang startling him out of his thoughts. "Hello?"

"Hey Lucas." Madison said cheerfully. "I know this is strange and everything you just meeting me and all…but I was wondering if we could hang out tomorrow if Brooke doesn't mind of course."

He smiled glad for the interruption in his thoughts. "How about we hang out tonight?" He suggested. "I was about to go to Kali's but I wouldn't mind having you for company instead. Let's go out and get drunk or something." He said making his tone light.

"Did something happen?" She asked tentatively.

"Brooke and I had a fight…and I wouldn't mind forgetting about it for a few hours." Lucas said sighing.

"Maybe you should try someone else then…I don't think I'm too good at making people forget anyone else, I mean look at Nathan." She joked.

"I think I'll take my chances with you." He said softly. "Where should we meet?"

When he hung up the phone a few minutes later and saw Brooke's name flashing on his screen, he didn't bother to feel guilty when he pressed reject.

_When it's over, is it really over?_

**TBC**

_**Music Credits: Sugar Ray – When It's Over**_


	7. When It Comes

**Warring Emotions**

**By: **Sari

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill is not mine. If I had enough money I'd probably buy it just so I could get rid of half the characters on the show.

**Summary: **"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin. The sequel to _This Time Around._

**7: When It Comes**

_I started up my hollow_

_A piece of wood to follow_

_A day that doesn't come to the lucky_

_And I realize there's tomorrow_

_But I would rather wallow in the rain_

_Than moods that seem so potlucky_

"Oh shit" Lucas said giggling and swaying slightly. "I should have called Brooke."

"We're forgetting about Brooke remember?" Madison said resolutely fumbling to open her hotel room door. "God that was fun though wasn't it?"

Lucas nodded immediately regretting it as his head started to pound. "Damn how much did we drink?"

Madison started to count getting bored after she passed 10 shots each. "Let's just say too much."

She finally managed to open the door and they both stumbled inside her hotel room. "I'll get you blankets and stuff." She said making her way slowly down the hall. "Remind me to never drink again."

"Will do!" Lucas said brightly. Sinking down onto the couch held his aching head in his hands. After Madison had called him while he had been wandering around they had met each other at a local music club and bar where they had basically drank their troubles away. Lucas had enjoyed it, in a strictly platonic sense; he hadn't felt any attraction towards Madison even though she was beautiful. His heart was still in Brooke's hands.

Madison came back out holding pillows and a blanket. "I've hit the jackpot!"

Lucas laughed. "Thanks Madison. So come on sit down, we spent most of the night running from our problems, let's talk about them. What happened today between you and Nate?"

Madison groaned. "We broke up, or actually I broke up with him and pushed him out the door to go find Haley. I think that was the hardest thing I've ever done."

"Ouch that must've hurt, but think of it this way at least you're not playing second best anymore."

She sighed. "Logically I know its better this way, but my heart just hurts so much." Her eyes filled with tears and Lucas brushed them away. "It'll get better." He promised.

She nodded allowing him to wrap his arms around her. "Tell me about Brooke." She requested.

"I got an offer a couple weeks before we came to New York from the basketball coach at the University of Miami. He offered to get me a full scholarship and pay for room and board for both Brooke and myself if I played for the team. He's pretty confident that with both Nathan and I on the team UM will be better." Lucas said twisting her hair around his finger. "I told Brooke and she said it was fine but today she brought it up again and basically said she wasn't going to move and I was being selfish for even suggesting the idea."

"Well…" Madison started. "That couldn't be what made you storm out the room. It's an argument yeah, but it's not so serious."

"She said that I was being stupid for not spending the money Dan left for me."

"Why aren't you using his money?" Madison asked confused. "From what Nathan said, Dan was more than well off."

Lucas shrugged. "It's complicated."

"Try to explain it to me."

"I don't know." Lucas said softly. "Brooke doesn't understand how hard it was to grow up in Tree Hill with a reputation hanging over your head. I was always expected to be some type of screw up because I wasn't the kid the illustrious Dan Scott chose to stay with. Then when I get thrown into his world I constantly have to prove myself to him and to everyone else because it's not possible for the bastard child to ever make something of himself. It may be silly and I may not have to prove myself to Dan anymore, but I have to try to do this without his help if I ever want to gain respect for myself. I need to know I can survive without falling back on the Scott family name."

"Why didn't you tell this to Brooke instead of leaving?"

"I couldn't deal with it at the time. It hurt that she didn't even want to understand my reasoning."

"So what are you going to do?"

He looked down at the floor. "I don't know Madison, I just want to forget for now. Can we do that?"

Madison turned around in his arms and nodded. Hesitantly, she tilted her head and gave him a soft kiss, waiting for him to respond before deepening it.

Lucas broke the kiss and frowned. "That was…"

"Horribly wrong?" Madison guessed. "It's okay Luke, you love Brooke, and in the morning you are going to go find her and you two are going to solve this."

Madison got up and smiled at him before heading into her room. "Madison?" He called.

She paused waiting for him to continue. "Thank you"

"You're welcome Luke."

_And I'll let you know_

_When it comes, when it comes_

_I'll let you know_

_But don't stay up for me_

_Don't wait up for me if I'm not home, yeah_

Kali opened the door to a red-eyed Brooke who immediately pushed past her to look around her house. She watched amused as Brooke searched the house but the smile quickly disappeared as Brooke turned to face her, tears pouring down her face. "Where is he?" She asked.

"I'm going to guess that we're talking about Lucas." Kali said. "He's not here. Why would he be?"

"We got in a fight and he left last night and didn't come home."

Kali raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like classic Lucas. What happened?"

Brooke sat on the couch and wiped away still falling tears. "It's a long story, but basically I made a reference to him being a selfish prick and being idiotic about not spending Dan's money and he got pissed and left and now I don't know where he is."

"Have you tried Nathan's?" Kali suggested. "I'll call him now."

Brooke nodded. "Thank you Kali."

Sighing, Kali reached for her cell phone and dialed Nathan's cell. "Hey Nate"

"Kali." Nathan said sleepily. "You do know that it's only six in the morning right?"

"I do, but I have a sobbing Brooke in front of me telling me that Lucas didn't come home last night after their fight and in order to do damage control I need to figure out where he is. So is he with you?"

"Nope, I'm at Haley's."

Kali rolled her eyes. "We'll talk about that statement after I find my best friend. See you."

She disconnected and gave Brooke a cheerful grin. "We're going to find him and beat sense into both of your heads."

Searching through her phonebook again Kali dialed Lucas's number. "Lucas Scott answer this damn phone!" She growled as the phone continued to ring. Kali almost jumped for joy when she heard his groggy voice. "Where the hell are you?" She yelled. "Do you know how worried your girlfriend was about you? I don't care how badly you guys fought you still should have some common courtesy!"

"Shit Kali would you just shut the hell up. I don't need you mothering me." He responded coldly.

"Yeah well when you start acting like a child someone needs to be the adult." She bit back. "Where are you?"

"None of your business." He replied stubbornly. "Tell Brooke I'll meet her at our hotel."

"You sound hung over." Kali remarked.

"That's because I am, not that it's any of your business." Lucas said. "Goodbye Kali, tell her what I said."

Kali cursed and looked at Brooke whose tears had finally stopped. "Well good news is he's not dead."

"And the bad news?' Brooke asked.

"He was obviously hung over and refused to tell me where he was."

"Great." Brooke said sarcastically. "Is he going back to the hotel now?"

"That's what he said." Kali said ushering her towards the door. "Call me with the details after you guys battle it out."

Brooke nodded and Kali shut the door.

"Well fuck" She muttered.

_So wait for fate to find me_

_A ball of string unwind me_

_Uncomfortable as a centerfold, yeah_

_And I realize you're behind me_

_To help and humankind me_

_To see my songs can be retold_

Nathan closed his cell phone and smiled at Haley. "They found him."

Haley sighed. "Where was he? Jeez, Lucas and his impulsive behavior are going to get him killed."

"He wouldn't tell Kali where he was but Brooke's promised to tell Kali what happened when they're done making up or whatever." He said. "So can we get back to us and our making up?" He teased.

Haley giggled and kissed him on the cheek. "I thought we were already made up?"

"I wouldn't mind doing a little more…" He trailed off suggestively. "I heard that make up sex is phenomenal."

She laughed and punched him lightly. "You Mr. Scott are not getting me into bed that fast."

He pouted. "What did you think all this confessing was for?" He said cheekily.

Haley laughed and kissed him on the mouth this time. "I missed you so much." She moaned against his lips.

"I missed you too." He said. "You have to update me on your life now."

She settled back against the pillows on the bed. "Nothing really spectacular going on. I'm struggling through school and working at the hospital. You know both of that already."

"How'd you get into a relationship with Chris?" Nathan asked.

She rolled over. "Do we have to talk about that?"

"It'd put me more at ease." He said softly.

She intertwined his fingers in her own and sighed softly. "Chris and I getting together was purely for business only. I never had any feelings for him; I never will have feelings for him. But one day his agent said that record producers were looking for a pair that could do believable love songs. For Chris, it was a start. At least we'd be in the door so he pitched it to me and said if I wanted to ever become somebody in the music business I would follow along."

Nathan brought their joined hands to his lips and kissed them, silently urging her to continue. "So, eventually it just stuck and we became intimate. I didn't want to waste the rest of my life pining over my ex-husband so I used Chris to try to get over you." She smiled weakly at him. "At the time it seemed like a good idea."

"And now?" He murmured.

"It's was a stupid thing to do." Haley admitted. "And I'll never let anyone manipulate me like that again."

"You can trust me." Nathan promised. "I love you Hales…so much, and I'm not going to hurt you again."

She smiled and buried her face in his chest. "I trust you Nate, always."

_Well, I'll be gone tomorrow_

_Yes, I'm on the road tomorrow_

_So, next time that I see you in school_

_It won't be for too long_

Brooke hesitantly pulled the door open not quite knowing what she would find inside. She couldn't remember the last time she and Lucas got in a fight so bad that he was forced to leave.

Actually she could, it had been almost 2 years ago after she had tried to get him and Kali to be friends with Peyton again. It had been the divine intervention of Haley and Jake that had kept both of them in her lives though, sadly, she didn't have them in her corner this time.

He was sitting there nursing a cup of coffee, she knew it had to be black Starbucks coffee, that was his favorite kind and Brooke could barely stop herself from blurting out that black coffee was bad for his heart problem.

Fighting, she decided, wasn't there thing. It totally blew their distorted sense of normality out of proportion. And she craved normality with every fiber of her being.

"Hi" She whispered quietly, shutting the door behind her. "I was worried about you last night."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you." He said matching her tone of voice. "I needed to think."

Brooke nodded and perched delicately on the chair across from him. "What were you thinking about?"

"At first nothing, I just wanted to forget we even argued." He exhaled laughing. "I don't like it when we fight. It disturbs the peace."

She allowed herself to smile but then grew serious again as remnants of their argument filtered into her memory. "What happened to us yesterday Luke?"

"If you didn't want to go to Florida with me in the first place why did you tell me it was okay?" Lucas asked, answering her question with his own.

"I don't know." Brooke said picking at the lint on her skirt. "I figured we would talk about it again but then you never brought it up and then when I told Peyton about it she gave me some good advice."

He snorted. "Peyton giving good advice? What a first."

"When are you going to get over your high school grudge Luke?" Brooke chastised.

"Possibly never."

She rolled her eyes. "About Florida?" She prodded.

He shrugged. "I don't want to use Dan's money."

"Tell me why" She pleaded. "I don't understand Luke."

"Of course you wouldn't." He replied no malice in his voice just simple understanding of a fact. "Brooke you're used to Bentley's and maxed out credit cards you don't know what it's like to struggle to live in an area where no one wants you. You're Brooke Davis the most popular girl in Tree Hill with the rich parents; did you know what I was seen as? The bastard son that Dan didn't want who would never make anything of himself. Maybe I don't have to prove myself to Dan now because he's dead, but I have to prove to myself and to every person in Tree Hill who ever looked down on me that I can make it without him."

Brooke stayed quiet, a humbled look on her face. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "For being so insensitive yesterday."

"You didn't know."

"Can we call a truce for now?" She requested. "Everything will work itself out."

He nodded. "We'll talk about it more later okay?"

"Who were you with last night…?" She asked.

"Does it matter?"

"To me it does."

Lucas sighed, running a nervous hand through his hair. "Madison."

"Nathan's Madison? What were you doing with her?"

"I didn't want you to go looking for me at Kali's or Nathan's." He said defending himself.

"She is STAYING with Nathan!" She protested.

"They broke up, and she left." He corrected.

Brooke's face turned an angry red. "So you were just having a good old' time with Nathan's ex-girlfriend? How low can you go Luke?"

His eyes narrowed. "Nothing happened."

"Of course, and I'm the newest saint of the catholic religion!" She shouted. "How dare you do that to me? Did you not think about how I'd take it or were you too busy trying to get some ass?"

"Nothing happened." He repeated firmly. "We're just friends."

Angry tears made their way down Brooke's face. "Kali said this morning you sounded drunk." She accused.

"I was having drinks with a friend." He said.

She laughed harshly. "Go tell that to someone who's a little less intelligent."

Lucas was usually calm, but her constant accusations were beginning to get on his nerves. "You know what Brooke, I thought we trusted each other? Why can't you believe me?"

"Look at this from my point of view Luke, it looks pretty bad." She hissed. "We get in a fight and then you run off to **_Madison_** to have drinks and spend the night!"

"I don't have time for this." He said pissed off. "When you start making some sense come find me."

He went to their room and packed a small bag. "I'll be at Kali's since she's the only friend I can hang around without you throwing a jealous fit."

"You know what Luke? FUCK YOU." She yelled as he shut the door.

_And I'll let you know_

_When it comes, when it comes_

_I'll let you know_

_But don't stay up for me_

_Don't wait up for me if I'm not home, yeah_

**TBC**

_**Music Credits: Tyler Hilton – When It Comes**_


	8. Climbing the Walls

**Warring Emotions**

**By: **Sari

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill is not mine. If I had enough money I'd probably buy it just so I could get rid of half the characters on the show.

**Summary: **"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin. The sequel to _This Time Around._

**8: Climbing the Walls**

_Close your eyes make a wish_

_This could last forever_

_If only you could stay with me now_

_So tell me what it is that keeps us from each other now_

_Yeah, it's coming to get me_

_You're under my skin_

"I want to go back home." Brooke declared angrily wiping away tears as she sat in Peyton's hotel room. "It sucks to say it but its like this group has a curse hanging over its head. Anytime we're together we're doomed to make each other miserable."

Peyton made a sympathetic sound. "You still haven't called Lucas?"

"Why should I?" Brook replied. "I wasn't wrong to be angry about Madison."

"That's relative Brooke." Peyton said gently. "From what you told me you were bordering on being paranoid. And to Lucas it just looks like you don't trust him."

"Like he has the best track record." Brooke snorted. "It didn't take him long to revert back to his old ways."

"Brooke this isn't high school."

"Funny, it seems exactly the same way." Brooke snapped. "I'm pissed at Lucas, Kali stole Jake from you, and Nathan and Haley are once again the perfect couple. Yep, it's like I went back a couple years."

Peyton looked hurt and Brooke sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be taking this out on you."

"That's right you shouldn't. You and Lucas got in a fight, you'll get over it."

"It'd be better if we just went back home." Brooke said. "Being here is just tearing us apart."

"You and Lucas obviously have a problem, going back to Boston and ignoring it isn't going to help."

She picked at the lint on her skirt. "I'm jealous Peyton, what problem is there to ignore?"

"The fact that as soon as Lucas finds himself a female friend you go completely nuts and go back to being angry at him for things that happened in high school over 2 years ago."

"I don't do that to everyone!" Brooke protested. "It's just…I don't know! There's something about Madison that just makes me feel so threatened…and I hate that!"

"You're going to have to be a little bit more specific B, because right now all you're sounding like a possessive girlfriend." Peyton said wryly.

Brooke looked up her eyes still rimmed red as she thought about why Madison and Lucas's immediate friendship made her so angry. "It's like…" Brooke started. "Madison is like Haley but without the safeguard of being seen as just a 'little sister' or just a 'best friend.'"

Peyton look surprised. "Were you ever jealous of Haley?" She asked curiously.

Brooke laughed. "Of course, what girl in her right mind would feel comfortable with her boyfriend being that close to his best friend that happened to be a female? I was jealous of Kali too, but Kali made it abundantly clear that she would never _ever _like Lucas. The only thing that got me to actually stop being frightened of Haley and Lucas's relationship is the fact that Haley got married."

"Did you ever bring this up with Luke?"

"And risk being seen as some crazy jealous girlfriend who can't even take him talking to girls? I don't think so."

"Well you're not so far from fitting that role now Brooke." Peyton said smiling.

Brooke groaned. "Yeah I know." She let out a puff of air and stood up. "I should go find him."

"And say…"

"I'm sorry for being such a jealous whore?" Brooke suggested.

"Reword it a little and I think that could work." Peyton said chuckling.

_No I can't ever let you go_

_You're a part of me now_

_Caught by the taste of your kiss_

_And I don't want to know the reason why I can't stay forever like this_

_Now I'm climbing the walls cuz I miss you_

Madison raised an eyebrow at an irate Nathan who was pacing the floor in front of her. "Madison what were you thinking?" He said shaking his head. "My brother?"

She yawned. "Nathan, I have no idea what you're talking about. The only thing I can think of right now having to do with your brother is that his name is Lucas, but I'm sure that's not what you're yelling at me about."

"This isn't a game." He hissed.

"I'm sure it isn't, but since I have no clue what you're so disappointed in me about I can't act all noble and humble can I?"

"Lucas was here last night." Nathan stated.

"Yes…" Madison prodded. "And that would be a problem because?"

"Because he has a girlfriend named Brooke who was worried sick about him."

Madison shrugged. "I called Lucas about hanging out and he suggested last night so we met at a bar and had a couple of drinks. We were both pretty tipsy and my room was nearby so why let him stumble home when he could stay with me?"

"The fact that his girlfriend was worried sick didn't register with you did it?"

She threw up her hands. "What do you want me to do? Call and apologize? I didn't force him out his house, I didn't force him into that bar, and I didn't force him into my room. He came here on his own free will."

"Did anything happen?"

"What are you my caretaker?" Madison asked amused. "It isn't any of your business what went on in my room."

"Is this because you're mad at me about Haley?" Nathan asked carefully.

"Don't give yourself so much credit."

"Then what is it? Why Lucas?"

"NOTHING HAPPENED." Madison yelled. "We're just friends, damn, you AND Brooke need to take a damn chill pill."

Nathan sighed. "You two are just acting really suspicious."

"By going out and getting drinks? I didn't realize that was such a foreign occurrence. Maybe that's something only you Tree Hillers think." Madison said sarcastically.

"Look you should probably just stay away from Lucas okay? It's not good for his relationship with Brooke." Nathan insisted.

"You're not his mother and you're not my caretaker. Why don't you leave that decision up to Lucas?"

"Madison you're playing with fire." He warned.

She smirked. "Probably, but trust me, I won't get burned."

_Take my hand, take my life_

_Just don't take forever_

_And let me feel your pain kept inside _

_There's got to be a way you and I together now_

_Yeah it's coming' to get me_

_You're under my skin_

"Still not talking?" Kali asked Lucas who was staring stubbornly at the loud TV.

"Nothing to talk about." Lucas said. "At least nothing that concerns you."

"God Luke, what is your problem?"

"Nothing at all. Brooke has a problem but not me." Lucas said. "She doesn't trust me and all of you are feeding into it."

"How in hell are we feeding into it? You're the one who's acting so damn shady."

He laughed. "I didn't think it was abnormal to want to cool off after a fight."

"It's not, but cooling off with some woman you just met? That's abnormal."

He shook his head. "Whatever okay? You guys are paranoid and it's getting on my nerves."

"I just want you to understand that this friendship you got going on with this Madison girl is seriously screwing with your relationship so if you value Brooke in any way you'd leave that girl alone."

"Madison and I are just friends and Brooke needs to understand that." Lucas said firmly. "I'm not going to make myself feel bad every time she thinks I shouldn't be friends with someone."

Kali sighed. "That isn't what this is about."

"Kali we are not going to agree on this." Lucas said. "So we should just drop it."

She rolled her eyes. "You are impossible."

He shrugged. "Why must I concede every time one of Brooke's insecurities pops up out of the blue? If I have to worry about pissing her off every time I make a move it's not worth it."

"I guess Luke, that's between you and Brooke's insecurities."

"So, what's up with you and Jake?" He asked smirking. "I heard Peyton got the boot."

Kali grinned. "We're taking it slow. I'm still pissed at him for the hiding Peyton stunt he pulled off but we're just getting to know each other again."

"Nothing concrete, I think he's still hanging around Peyton as well." Kali said.

"And you're okay with that?" Lucas said incredulously.

"If I was still the Kali from high school I'm sure I would be pissed, but now it's like whatever comes may come. If he's into Peyton that's fine and if he's into me then that's fine too. I'm not going to hold him to any false promises and he's going to do the same for me and I think it's working for us."

"So what happens when the week is over?"

"We look back and evaluate and figure out if it's worth saving." Kali said staring at her hands. "We still have a couple of days."

"I hope it works out for you." Lucas said sincerely.

"Me too Luke."

There was a sharp knock on the door and Kali groaned dragging herself from her position on the couch. She opened the door and smiled. "Well it's about time."

Brooke smiled back. "I needed some encouragement. Is he still here?"

Kali nodded. "Right in the living room." She grabbed her purse and keys. "I'll give you guys a little privacy. Call me when the war is over."

Brooke grinned. "Will do, thanks Kali."

_No I can't ever let you go_

_You're a part of me now_

_Caught by the taste of your kiss_

_And I don't want to know the reason why I can't stay forever like this_

_Now I'm climbing the walls cuz I miss you_

Peyton ran a hand through her curly blonde hair as she waited nervously in the small café opposite of Central Park. When Jake had called her requesting that they meet she had been surprised. She had expected to never hear from him now that he was in bliss with his long lost love but it seems as if that wasn't the case.

She looked up as the chime on the door jingled signaling the arrival of a new customer. Recognizing Jake's dark brown hair she waved him over to her table. "I'd say it's nice to see you again but really it isn't." Peyton said.

"I was a jack ass to you on Tuesday and I want to apologize for it." Jake started. "Seeing Kali again, it brought back such a huge amount of repressed feelings that I couldn't separate the old ones I was feeling from the ones I'm feeling now."

"What are you trying to say Jake?" Peyton asked.

"I'm saying that I might have made a mistake." Jake replied quietly. "I might have been holding on to an image of Kali that isn't there anymore."

"And now you want to see if there's a chance that I might take you back?" Peyton said amused. "Sorry, Jake but no. You made your choice now live with it."

"Peyton I know that I hurt you and that I was wrong to lead you on and it does even worse of me to try to get you back but you have to believe me when I say that I loved you and _still _love you." Jake pleaded.

Peyton chuckled. "Its funny how life works doesn't it?" Peyton asked. "Just a couple days ago I was still operating under the belief that I need you to survive but it's like I had a spiritual awakening and realized I don't. My days don't revolve around you anymore and I don't think I ever want to become that dependent ever again." She smiled. "I need to learn how to be Peyton Sawyer, and not Jake's girlfriend or Jenny's surrogate mother."

"I don't want to jump back in a relationship Peyton." Jake amended. "I just want there to still be a possibility that it could happen again."

"Just in case Kali decides she doesn't want you, you can have something leftover to go back to?" She asked bitterly.

"Of course not." He protested. "Kali and I are trying, we're trying to see if what we think we had is still there. But we were young and we were quick to say we were in love. But you, you've been there for me when she wasn't, you helped me through situations she couldn't possibly understand, and that Peyton, that is why I want to know if you'll wait for me."

Peyton looked down, silently cursing her lack of willpower. "I'll always wait for you Jake because against my better judgment I love you."

"Thank you." He said softly holding her hand in his. "I appreciate this Peyton."

She nodded. "Just hurry up and make your decision okay? Both of us aren't going to wait for you forever."

_It's an illusion how can I feel this way_

_(If I can't have you)_

_It's an illusion nothing is real this way_

_(If I can't have you)_

_No I can't let you go_

_You're a part of me now_

_Caught by the taste of your kiss (I don't want to know)_

_And I don't want to know_

_The reasons why I can't stay forever like this (I am climbing the walls)_

_Now I'm climbing the walls cuz I miss you_

**TBC**

_**Music Credits: Backstreet Boys – Climbing the Walls**_

**A/N: **The lack of reviews for this fic is really disappointing. Even though the story is relatively short, I still hoped that there would be a better response to it. Please rec this fic to your friends! Just a short explanation of what's going to be going on with this story. _Warring Emotions_ is going to be a relatively short sequel. It takes place over a week and the story lasts 15 chapters. If you want the time that elapsed so far:

Chapter 1-3: Monday through Monday night

Chapter 4-6: Tuesday through Tuesday night.

Chapter 7: Wednesday

Chapter 8: Thursday


	9. Everytime

**Warring Emotions**

**By: **Sari

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill is not mine. If I had enough money I'd probably buy it just so I could get rid of half the characters on the show.

**Summary: **"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin. The sequel to _This Time Around._

**9: Everytime**

_Notice me, take my hand_

_Why are we strangers when_

_Our love is strong_

_Why carry on without me_

"Brooke." Lucas said without even looking up.

"Hello Lucas, had a nice night?" Brooke asked.

"I couldn't say it was very nice. Kali was on my case all last night and this morning about what happened between us."

"I'm still not too sure about that myself." Brooke admitted. "I freaked out."

"Among other things." He said wryly.

She blushed. "I had a lot of time to think last night about my response to Madison. I was way out of line to suggest anything was going on between the two of you."

"Why don't you trust me?" Lucas asked refusing to meet her eyes.

"I do trust you." Brooke protested. "It's just something about her…"

He looked up doubtfully. "Brooke you haven't fully trusted me since what happened with Peyton." He said matter-of-factly.

"It was a big deal." She said quietly. "It took a lot for me to look past that."

"Except every time a girl comes around you revisit it and throw it back in my face." He said gazing hard at her. "I can't keep watching my step hoping I don't aggravate you by talking to a girl Brooke."

"It's not every girl…I haven't said anything about any of our friends in Boston." She objected.

"So what is it about Madison?" He asked curiously. "She isn't any different from our friends in Boston."

"She's just like Haley." Brooke divulged softly. "And I feel threatened by that."

"What?" He asked incredulously. "What are you talking about?"

She made a helpless gesture. "You and Haley have like this super bond that even distance and time couldn't break. As soon as you came here you and her like reconnected and it was as if you never left each other and were never pissed at each other. Having a friendship like that…it's special and it's precious. Luckily you and Haley never ruined it by liking the other…"

"I'm not getting…"

She held up a hand. "Madison is like Haley because the minute you two started talking to each other you automatically found something in the other that you could just relate to and I'm scare of that Luke! It's not like you have to watch out for some precarious friendship or some undeniable history with the other you can just enjoy being with her. The fact that you can do that scares me because she seems so perfect for you…why would you stay with someone like me when you can have someone like her?" She finished weakly.

She looked into Lucas's surprised gaze and smiled hesitantly. "That sounds pretty stupid doesn't it?"

"God…no Brooke!" Lucas insisted getting up to sit by her and taking her hands in his. "You have nothing to worry about, nothing you hear me?" He said seriously. "Brooke I have wanted to be with you for so long…from the first time I saw you in the hallways I knew you were somebody different, someone I could truly connect with."

He smiled faintly, remembering the various ordeals they had been through. "The Peyton fiasco made me realize how much I need you near me, how much your laughter had become a part of my life. I would never…never jeopardize something as precious as our relationship."

Brooke smiled through her tears at him. "Luke…"

He rubbed small circles on her hand. "If I wanted someone like Haley…I would have dated Haley. Madison is a friend at most and that's all she'll ever be. If you want me to stop seeing her…" He trailed off uncertainly.

"No!" She exclaimed cutting him off. "I'm being a jealous, possessive prick." She said laughing self-deprecatingly. "I trust you Luke, I do…you and Madison are just friends. I believe you."

"Thank you." He said.

She grinned. "No…thank you for putting up with me."

He kissed her delicately. "I love you Brooke…always."

_Everytime I try to fly, I fall_

_Without my wings, I feel so small_

_I guess I need you, baby_

_And everytime I see you in my dreams_

_I see your face, it's haunting me_

_I guess I need you, baby_

Haley watched Nathan pace curiously. Ever since he had returned from wherever he had went he had been agitated. Barely looking at her and randomly cursing Haley was about sick of worrying that something was about to blow up in her face.

"For Christ's sake Nate, what the hell is going on?" She asked exasperated.

He stopped pacing abruptly and looked at her as if had just had an epiphany. "You're his best friend." He said suddenly.

She raised an eyebrow. "I thought everything was settled with Lucas."

"Me too until Kali called me telling me that Lucas was with Madison Wednesday and Brooke and Lucas had a fight about that as well."

"Madison…? You're Madison?" Haley asked surprised. "They did seem to hit it off at the breakfast on Tuesday. There's nothing to worry about though, Lucas is dedicated to Brooke he has been since the Peyton mishap."

"Lucas may be dedicated to Brooke, but Madison likes him and that's enough to make me nervous." Nathan said. "Madison is if anything ambitious and manipulative. She'll twist any situation to fit her needs."

Haley shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Lucas won't fall for it. He's gotten pretty good at looking through the games girls play. I mean he has two female best friends."

"I keep trying to tell myself that but I'm still worried. I know Madison better than anyone here…you may think she's harmless because Lucas has like stellar willpower but she's persistent."

Haley hugged him. "It's sweet that you're this worried about it. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"I feel sort of responsible for her, it's my fault she's here." He said sighing.

"You didn't push her into going after Lucas." Haley reminded him. "So this has nothing to do with you."

He nodded. "I'm trying to keep thinking that."

"How about we take your mind off it?" Haley suggested. "Let's talk about what's going to happen on Monday."

He winced. "I don't think that topics any better."

"I don't want what we have to end Nate." Haley said smiling. "I don't think I could go back to being without you."

He entwined his fingers in hers. "I know Hales, but my life is in Florida. I have a good thing going there."

She stared at their joined hands. "What if I moved down to Florida?" She asked.

"You would do that?" He asked. "I don't want you to move and then we don't work out…"

"Why wouldn't we?"

"It's all good to say that we want to be together Hales but when it comes to being with each other full time we might realize that this wasn't what we wanted." He said quietly. "I don't want to railroad you into doing something that you might later regret."

"You're not railroading me." Haley insisted. "I'm doing this because I want to."

"I just want to be sure…let's wait until we make anything final okay?" He said. "I'll stay a little bit longer here and we can go from there."

She looked at him strangely. "Okay…"

_I make believe that you are here_

_It's the only way I see clear_

_What have I done?_

_You seem to move on easy_

Kali found herself in front of Madison's apartment when she had left her own leaving Lucas and Brooke to themselves. Kali figured it was a sign that she ended up here. It had been so long since she had been able to help Lucas and now that she had the chance she wasn't going to pass it up. Boldly she knocked on Madison's door waiting for a response.

The Asian girl opened the door warily. "Kali right?" She asked widening the entrance. "Let me guess, you're here to chew me out about Lucas."

"Perceptive aren't you." Kali said stepping in the doorway and closing it behind her.

"Like I told Nathan, it's none of your business. Lucas is a big boy." She said bored.

"I just want to throw a theory at you." Kali said nonchalantly looking around the bare hotel room. "I think it's awfully funny that you weren't even sad that you broke up with Nathan and the next hour hooked up with Lucas."

Madison quirked an eyebrow. "You think I planned this?"

Kali shrugged. "I'm just throwing out a theory."

Madison snorted. "You're more paranoid than Nathan and Brooke put together. I just met Lucas and we hit it off. If Brooke is so threatened by it tell her to go find some more things in common with him and stop looking to me as the cause of the problem."

"But you see, you are the problem Madison. Because obviously you just can't see that Lucas is taken. Taken as in he doesn't want or need you. Taken as in go back to Florida, you aren't wanted here." Kali said rudely.

Madison laughed. "What are you his bodyguard?"

"I'm his best friend." Kali said. "And I think I know Lucas more than you. Stop acting like some desperate slut and go find a boy who's unattached. Lucas, thankfully, is."

"I'm so sick of this self-absorbed group." Madison said. "I'm not acting like anything, I'm not throwing myself at him, I am not degrading myself in any way, and I am not putting myself out there. We are friends. Get that through your thick head."

"I would believe you but then I wouldn't be following my instincts and for some reason my instincts are always right. You're up to something and I really don't care what it is, just stop it right now because it isn't going to work."

"So what if I am up to something?" Madison said cockily. "Obviously it must be working if all of you are so damn worried about me."

Kali just grinned. "I'm only worried that I might do something I'll regret if you fuck with my friends again. I'm not above sinking to high school behavior if it means saving my friends relationship."

Madison laughed and pointed towards the door. "Alright then Kali." She said smugly sizing her up. "Game, set, and match."

Kali shook her head as she walked to the door. "You have no idea who you're playing with."

"I have an idea." Madison said. "And it's enough to tell me that I have nothing to worry about. Goodbye. See you at the show tomorrow."

Kali smiled sweetly. "Break a leg—literally."

_I may have made it rain_

_Please forgive me_

_My weakness caused you pain_

_And this song's my sorry_

Peyton arrived late to the get together that Kali had planned late that night. She had been walking aimlessly ever since her conversation with Jake, and silently she was berating herself for giving in so easily and consenting to waiting for him again. For the third time in his life Jake held her happiness in his hands and it was making her sick that he held that power of her.

She pasted on a smile and made her way to the back of the club where Kali had reserved an area for them. "Hey everyone!" She exclaimed. "Sorry I'm so late, I got lost getting here."

Kali waved away her apology. "Its fine Peyt, pull up a chair, and I'll send Jake off to get you a drink!"

Peyton watched jealously as Kali flirted and joked with Jake with ease before sending him off to get another round of drinks. If there was one constant Peyton could count on in her life, it would be her jealousy of Kali. The girl was just so poised and always ready to do battle with someone.

She sat down next to Brooke noticing the protective way Lucas was holding onto her even though he was engaged in conversation with Haley. "So you two are back together then?"

Brooke nodded grinning. "We talked, we had make-up sex, then we talked some more." She clarified. "We're better."

Peyton looked up as Jake set a tray of drinks down on the table. Grabbing one she sighed. "I broke my promise today." She informed Brooke.

"Which one was that?"

"Jake invited me to lunch today and asked me to wait for him." Peyton said. "I said yes like the love sick idiot I am."

"Peyt…! Wait, he wants you to wait for him? Does that mean he's not sure about Kali?" Brooke asked.

Peyton shrugged and Brooke sputtered. "What a jackass!"

"Nothing I can do about it right? Except wait for him to choose." She said sullenly.

"Oh yes there is something you can do!" Brooke said. Peyton watched her friend get up and march over to the other side of the table where Jake and Kali were sitting.

"Brooke…!" Peyton called. "Don't!"

Brooke just smiled evilly, took her Sex on the Beach (A/N: It's a drink name), and poured it on Jake's head.

Everyone at the table stopped and looked at the scene in front of them. "Brooke what the hell?" Jake shouted grabbing a couple napkins and trying hurriedly to get the drink out of his clothes.

"You're an asshole." She said clearly pissed off. "I don't see why Peyton or Kali even want to be with you. You're an indecisive dick who can't figure out which girl he wants to be with."

Jake glared at her. "Brooke you don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh but I do." She said smiling. "Kali, if I was you I would dump him as soon as possible, and Peyton I don't know why you're waiting around for him."

"Brooke what are you on about?" Kali asked an uncomfortable smile on her face.

Brooke shrugged. "I'm just looking out for my friends."

_At night I pray_

_That soon your face will fade away_

_And everytime I try to fly, I fall_

_Without my wings, I feel so small_

_I guess I need you, baby_

_And everytime I see you in my dreams_

_I see your face, you're haunting me_

_I guess I need you, baby_

**TBC**

**_Music Credits: Britney Spears - Everytime_ **_  
_


	10. Hate You Didn't Try

**Warring Emotions**

**By: **Sari

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill is not mine. If I had enough money I'd probably buy it just so I could get rid of half the characters on the show.

**Summary: **"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin. The sequel to _This Time Around._

**10: Hate You Didn't Try**

_**Chapter 10 is dedicated to HaleynNathan23 who left 6 long reviews that completely made my day. Thank you!**_

**Warning: Language! This chapter is a strong PG-13/T**

_If I close my eyes_

_I can still see me in your eyes_

_If I hold my breath_

_I can breathe just like you_

_But for me_

_It's a momentary flight_

The night ended with tense words. Lucas had pulled Brooke away from the table after she had dumped her drink on Jake's head with a brief goodbye, Haley and Nathan sensing the tension slowly made their way out the club, and Peyton had no choice but to stay because Kali's eyes were pinning her to her seat.

Kali's temper was legendary within the group, she was the first to hit somebody, the first to launch a verbal attack, and the first to get herself arrested in a club. It was for that reason only that Peyton was scared out of her mind and wished she wasn't too scared to leave.

"What was Brooke talking about Jake?" Kali said calmly.

"Kali this is not the time or the place…" Jake said nervously, he wasn't one to draw crowds and he knew if he let Kali continue she would sure enough draw one.

"Answer me." She growled. "We are not moving from this table until I get a straight answer out of you."

He sighed and looked to Peyton for help. Peyton just shrugged, she was practically emanating a "this is your screw up—fix it" vibe.

"Earlier today I asked Peyton to lunch and I asked her if she would wait for me in case we didn't work out." He said keeping his eyes to the ground. "It was nothing, Brooke blew it out of proportion."

Kali stared at him in disbelief. "It isn't a big deal?" She asked slowly. "You're dooming our nonexistent relationship already."

"Nonexistent?" He asked surprised.

"What you think I'm going to just sit around while you fuck Peyton behind my back?" She said incredulously.

"That's not what's happening!" He insisted.

"No of course not." She said her voice back to its original icy calm. "Just in case you can't put up with my bullshit you'll have Peyton on the side to run back to every time you need an ego boost. Why have one girlfriend when you can have two?"

"Kali!" Jake protested desperately.

"Shut up!" She yelled sharply. She turned to Peyton. "Peyton, can you tell me what he told you? It'd be appreciated."

Peyton hesitated. "Kali…maybe if you just calmed down…"

"Peyton." She interrupted.

Peyton smiled weakly. "He invited me out to lunch and then he told me that he was sorry and that maybe he made a mistake going back to you. He said that he might have been holding onto an image of you that wasn't there anymore. He told me he loved me still and even though the both of you were trying he didn't know if it would work out and he said that we had too much history for him to forget about. Then he asked me to wait for him." She concluded.

Kali looked at an increasingly embarrassed Jake. "If you didn't want me anymore why didn't you just tell me?" She asked. "Why go on with this ridiculous charade? Why repeat what happened in high school all over again? We're ADULTS Jake! I figured you would be the most mature out of us, you have a child, but I guess not."

"Kali…I am so sorry I was going to tell you…I just wanted to figure out a way to tell you with the possibility of us still staying friends."

"So you do still love Peyton?"

He nodded. "I love her, and I love you as well—I always will—but I'm _in love _with Peyton."

"Well then." She said standing up. "Peyton it looks like you have the final laugh."

"Kali…" Peyton started.

"Please, don't even try to be altruistic. You've been waiting years to finally show me up and you did. The congratulations are all yours." Kali said bitterly. "Jake, do me a favor and go to hell."

"Does this mean we still can't be friends?" He asked pitifully.

She laughed. "Go fuck yourself, and take Peyton with you."

_The life you took was mine_

_We can't be happy all the time_

_Out of sight but you haunt my mind_

_I need a remedy to kill the pain_

_I hate you didn't try_

"I'm so worried about her." Lucas said as he and Brooke walked back to their hotel. "I didn't even see that coming, I thought he was in love with her still."

"It turns out Jake is the biggest jackass amongst us." Brooke said flippantly. "He surpassed you, surpassed Nathan, and went straight to 'biggest bastard of the year' status."

"Maybe we should stop by Kali's penthouse and see if she's there. She needs somebody right now." He said truly worried about his friend.

Brooke smiled. "Luke, I was just waiting for you to ask."

They caught a taxi to Kali's house and made it right as they saw her own taxi pulling up to the curb. "Kali!" Lucas called seeing the blonde walk into the building.

She turned around and gave him a small smile. "How'd you know I needed a friend?"

"I would say it's the best friend bond we have but Brooke told me the entire story." He pulled her into a hug. "I am so sorry." He whispered.

Kali tuned to Brooke. "Brooke, you wouldn't mind me stealing your boyfriend for the night?" She asked.

Brooke held up her hands. "You need him more than I do, call me tomorrow okay?" She said kindly.

Kali nodded and waited for Lucas to walk her back to the taxi before they went up stairs to talk. While Lucas set up the usual supplies: ice cream, chick movies, and a friendly ear.

She plopped down on her sofa, popped in a movie, and took a bowl and spoon from him. "I feel like an asshole."

"You have no right to feel that way." Lucas answered immediately. "_Jake _is the asshole, you are the victim. You have every right to feel angry or hell, even sad, but you are _not _an asshole."

She nodded. "That may be true but it doesn't change the fact that I feel like I should've known this would happen. I mean what type of record does Jake have when it comes to women? He knocked up one, dragged along Peyton for awhile, met me and dropped her, dropped me for her, and then here he goes dropping me again for her." She laughed resentfully. "I should have seen it."

"And then to make matters worse." She continued. "I didn't find out that he didn't love me in the privacy of my own home, I found out in the middle of a club where everyone could feel pity for me. Even PEYTON was feeling pity for me. Drug abuser, attention-seeker, 'I want Kali's life' Peyton."

Lucas chuckled at her last statement.

She cracked a smile too. "I feel awful." She said softly. "I just want to hurt him as much as he hurt me."

"Jake is an idiot, he doesn't know what he's missing." Lucas said sternly. "You knew he had a white knight complex Kali. Every time Peyton looked like she was heading for trouble he always had to be the one to save her. Even if you two had lasted that would still be the case during your relationship. He has to feel needed and he can't have that with you because you're strong and independent."

"Flattery was always your best subject." She said her smile a little bit brighter.

"It's not flattery, it's the truth." He said hugging her again. "Kali you will find someone that loves you for the strong person that you are. You don't need Jake."

"I don't need him." She repeated quietly.

"You don't." He cemented. He reached over and picked up the blanket she had brought out. "I love you, Brooke loves you, Nate loves you, and Haley loves you. We'll be there for you when you need it okay?"

She nodded and made herself comfortable in his arms she he could spread the blanket over them. "Thank you Luke." She said eyes brimming. "I don't know how I would have survived tonight with you."

"I know." He smiled and kissed her on the head.

_You made love on an overdose_

_And now I'm left to cope_

_You carved I love you in my hands_

_A scarlet letter drenched in your blood_

"I think I should go and talk to her." Peyton said nervously to Jake who was looking just as stunned as she was.

"No." Jake said resolutely. "You shouldn't. I know Kali, she just needs to cool down."

"I feel terrible."

"You have no reason to." He said sighing. "I do, and I think I feel terrible enough for the both of us. What were you thinking telling Brooke of all people?"

"She's my best friend." Peyton said.

"Yeah, the best friend that ditched you as soon as Lucas gave the word. All of a sudden she's friendly for a couple days and you spill your life story to her. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that if I ever wanted my best friend back that I'd have to be honest with her and we've helped each other these past few days. I love Brooke and we can overcome anything together. So what if she takes it upon herself to fix my life, it's what friends do. See you wouldn't know that because Luke and Nate, they're so pissed at you for being an inconsiderate jerk they won't even talk to you." Peyton hissed.

He sighed again. "Peyt, I'm sorry I didn't mean it. Tonight has just not been my night."

"I know." She said sympathetically. "But you did bring this on yourself."

"You don't have to remind me." He said. "Kali did a good enough job."

"You want to come back to the hotel with me?" She asked hopefully. Almost as soon as the words were out her mouth Peyton berated herself. She was foolish in her love for him. As much evidence as she'd seen that he was no good she couldn't help loving him and wanting him to be with her. Kali was right; she had wanted this for a long time no matter how she got it and whose heart broke in the process.

He shook his head and gave her a gentle smile. "Not tonight Peyton." He looked down the dark street and shook his head again. "I have to get my head on straight before I even try to attempt anything with you. Whatever this was with Kali, it made me realize that I do love you, theirs no doubt in that, but I need to get her out of mind before I jeopardize our relationship again."

"I understand." And surprisingly enough, she really did. "Call me when you're ready to talk okay?"

He nodded. "Thank you."

She smiled. "Anytime Jake, anytime."

_The life you took was mine_

_We can't be happy all the time_

_Out of sight but you haunt my mind_

_I need a remedy to kill the pain_

_I hate you didn't try_

_Since you left_

_I sleep in the clothes that you wore_

_Forget I'm alive_

_And I wait for you at the door_

_So tired of blue_

_But I think I see you in the clouds_

_The life you took was mine_

_We can't be happy all the time_

_Out of sight but you haunt my mind_

_I need a remedy to kill the pain_

_Kill the pain_

**TBC**

_**Music Credits: Leah Andreone – Hate You Didn't Try**_

**_A/N: _Next chapter might be a little late guys! School shopping tomorrow and then I'm going to see my sister but I might have time to do it on Wednesday.**


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